Pines by Northwest
by DarthMoogious
Summary: Dipper/Pacifica— The end of the twins first summer was apocalyptic, but what about the future? Dipper and Pacifica kind of seemed to hit thing off there for a brief second. Follow along to see what the future holds for the two.
1. That New Pines Smell

**A/N: First off I would like to give shout-outs to a few fanficnet writers for inspiring me. LittleAmberAmethyst, Viceroy Elf, and .Fun. There are a few chapters of this story that I was inspired to write because of their stories. Such as LittleAmberAmethyst's Valentine's Day story. I loved that story it was sweet, so I wanted to write it my own way in the context of my own head-cannon. It will be chapter 6. Viceroy Elf wrote The Drink which I thought was really cool. Again I wanted to write it my own way, so I did. The chapter with that story will be chapter 16. If you haven't already go read their fics. This is my first fic so be kind. this story is 28 chapters long, plus and epilogue, and 50K+ words. So bare in mind as you review nothing you say will influence the story one way or the other because its already been written. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have fun.**

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Pines by Northwest

Chapter 1

That New Pines Smell

Dipper was pacing back and forth in the hospital waiting room. His head and heart filled with too many emotions. His head was filled with fear, scared that something could go wrong. His heart filled with love for the simple reason of why he, his family, and their closest friends were actually there. Mabel watched as her brother paced, eventually getting up from the seat that she had claimed with her knitting tools and yarn. "Dipper everything is going to be fine," she said trying to support her brother as best she could while also trying her hardest to keep her fear in check; this was much easier when she was knitting. Grunkle Stan noticed Dipper's apprehensive behavior too.

"Dipper, don't sweat it these doctors bring in loads of kids every day," Stan said trying his best to comfort his great nephew.

Dipper looked around the room at the faces of his friends and family. Grunkle Ford nodded in agreement, Wendy gave him a warm smile and a thumbs up, Soos reassuringly added, "Don't worry dude. You and Pacifica are going to make great parents!" bouncing his own toddler on his knee as his wife Melody watched remembering the day she brought their son Diego into the world. Sitting beside Soos and Melody was Dipper and Mabel's parents beaming with pride and happiness, and why wouldn't they be? They were about to become grandparents after all. Next to Dipper's parents sat Preston and Priscilla Northwest. They were both quite nervous and had a hard time sitting still, but not for any reason you may think. You see this was actually the first time they had seen their daughter in quite a long time.

About that time Pacifica's obstetrician walked through the door. "Dr. Pines." Dipper stepped quickly over to where the doctor stood bringing everyone's gaze with him. "Congratulations young man you are now officially a father. Pacifica is ready to see all of you." Dipper took off down the hall to his lovely wife's room with a procession of friends and family following swiftly behind him.

Rounding the corner and looking into the room before completely entering. Dipper and Pacifica's faces both bursting into tears of happiness, Dipper quickly moved over to the bed taking a seat. As Dipper looked at the small bundle of joy Pacifica was holding his face lit up, "What is it?" Dipper asked.

Pacifica not being able to resist said, "It's a baby you dork!" laughing behind her tears and in-between sniffles.

Dipper rolled his eyes and looked at her, "No, is it a boy or a girl?"

Handing off the small bundle to Dipper Pacifica said playfully, "She's a lady."

Pacifica wanted the gender of their baby to be a surprise. Dipper not liking any unsolved mystery had learned over the years to let some things go unanswered. Matter of fact he had almost lost Pacifica once because he wouldn't let go. He learned a lot from that mistake and vowed to never let it happen again.

Dipper looked at Pacifica, "After all my success in archaeology and the occult sciences if someone would have asked me what my greatest accomplishment in life was… Well yesterday I would have said you, but now…" he looked down at the wonder of life in his hands.

Dipper turned to show off his baby girl to all that stood in the room. Pacifica looking over the people there to support her and Dipper, she recognized two faces in the back. The faces of Preston and Priscilla Northwest. Her father stood with a mournful smile. It showed the sadness and regrets that he had, yet a soft smile filled with happiness and a twinkle of pride. Priscilla, not doing very well at holding herself together at this point, let it all out and went to her daughter's side crying and hugging her. These tears were filled with sadness and hope, sad with the guilt of what she and Preston had done to their daughter as a child, and hope that maybe this was finally a place they could make up and become a family again. To Pacifica's surprise in-between her mother's sobs she heard her ask for her forgiveness. Pacifica had waited thirteen years to hear this and as her mother held onto her Pacifica whispered "Of course." At this point the water works had been fully opened between the mother and daughter.

Dipper had of course heard the entire event but knew that they both needed it and chose to let them have their moment. Dipper got up from the bed to show off his crowning achievement to all who cared to see. Mabel being first brought over a tiny knitted cap and of course a sweater for her little niece. Mabel looked at Dipper, "I would have added a pine tree but there isn't much room on a newborn sized sweater," Dipper just smiled and gave his sister a hug.

Next up was his parents they both gave their son a hug and their newborn granddaughter a kiss, "Congratulations son," his father said.

His mother just giving him a big smile not being able to talk in her current emotional state. Grunkle Stan and Ford both beaming with pride because in that moment they couldn't be happier with their great nephew no words were needed between the three. Up next was Soos, Melody, and Diego.

"Congrats dude, and I'm serious you dudes are going to make great parents trust me."

Looking at the closest thing he had to a brother a single manly tear was shed between the two. As Dipper looked back up to see the next well wishers he came face to face with the Northwest's. Dippers face flattening a little not knowing exactly what to expect addressed Preston, "Sir."

Preston offered his hand and Dipper accepted it. They shook hands firmly.

"Pines we may have had our disagreements in the past but if you're willing to let bygones be bygones then how about we just let it all be water under the bridge?"

Dipper smiled, "I think our families need that Sir."

As Preston and Priscilla started to move on so as to let the next person have their turn congratulating the new father Preston turned, "Oh and if there is anything she might need do let us know we can't have our granddaughter growing up with anything but the best!"

Lastly was Wendy. Looking down at the newborn and tickling her face she looked back up and asked, "What are you guys going to name her?"

Dipper turned to look at Pacifica. She gave him a nod. Dipper turned back to the group, "We decided on Angelica if she was a girl. Angelica Northwest Pines."

A soft round of applause went around the room. About that time a nurse came in ushering everyone but the father out of the room so that Pacifica could get some rest.


	2. Every Journey Begins with a Single Step

Chapter 2

Every Journey Begins with a Single Step

You're probably wondering how exactly we got to this point. Like why hadn't the Northwest's seen Pacifica in so long, or maybe you're wondering about Dipper's accomplishment in archaeology and the occult sciences. Let us start where all good stories do. At the beginning.

Back during Dipper and Mabel's first summer in Gravity Falls after the Northwest's annual party for the richest and most famous Pacifica had received a severe punishment for directly disobeying her parents and letting the townsfolk into the party. Pacifica had sought out the safety and solitude of her room. She lay on her bed crying into her pillow. Her head reeled with vicious thoughts toward her parents, but there was one idea that kept coming back to her no matter how much she wanted to push it out at the moment. Nevertheless it kept coming back and eventually she gave in to it. The thought was of Dipper and what he had told her in the hidden room with the paintings of all the dirty deeds her family had committed to get to the life of luxury she and her parents enjoyed now. She was determined to be better than her family's legacy, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do that in her family's shadow and under her parents influence. If Pacifica Northwest was anything it was resourceful. It was the one innate ability passed down through all the Northwest's aside from the ability to lie convincingly. She went to her desk, opened her laptop, and started doing a little research.

The next morning Pacifica snuck out of the house bright and early before anyone was up. She ran to the Mystery Shack the whole way she sported a large grin with her mouth agape. Once there she fervorously knocked on the door again and again. She knew it was early and that more than likely no one was up, but she didn't care. Finally the door opened. It was Dipper still groggy and rubbing his eyes. "What could anyone want this early?" he exclaimed as he opened the door. Before he knew who was at the door he felt a weight land on him. This sobered him up pretty well. A look of confusion with a dash of anger landed upon his face. His eyes wide now as he looked to his shoulder to see a golden hairy mess resting upon his shoulder. Pacifica pulled off the boy beaming with joy. Dipper noticed she had some papers in her hand. She thrust them into his face.

"I figured it out. Look!"

Dipper still unbelievably confused took the papers ' _What is she talking about,'_ he thought to himself. He read the title Child Emancipation laws for the State of Oregon.

He looked back at Pacifica, "Did you hit your head?"

Her smile fell into a frown, "What are you talking about?" she asked trying to get more clarification on his question.

"Pacifica. Why do you want to become emancipated from your parents? I mean I understand they're not the nicest people and you do deserve better than them but… I mean this is a rather extreme reaction. Right?" Dipper asked trying to obtain a full understanding behind her reasoning.

"Look last night I was plagued by what you said about me being better, and the more I thought about it the more I thought you were right. So I made up my mind to be a better person, but I can't do that under the influence of my parents."

Dipper sighed and said, "I still think this is an overreaction."

"Look Dipper there is more to it than them being snobby and mean to everyone." A sick feeling began in Dippers stomach. Dipper suspected that Pacifica's parents had psychologically abused her somehow as she was growing up. He just always hoped it wasn't true. Pacifica continued, "When I was little they started training me like a dog… anytime I did something wrong they rang that stupid bell and hit me. Before long it got to the point where I almost couldn't physically disobey them. After a while it became normal. I didn't think about it because that's just the way things were. You know? Then… well, you and your sister came along and made me think differently."

Dipper really felt sick now. He couldn't believe how someone could do such a thing to their own child; conditioning her using negative reinforcement as if she was some kind of animal. He clinched his fist, and his blood boiled. They were disgusting filthy people to him now. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a sniffle. He looked down to see Pacifica crying he couldn't see her eyes because they were hidden behind her bangs, but he didn't need to, to know she was hurt. No words were needed he just wrapped his arms around her to let her know that someone cared. As soon as he did Pacifica let it all out. She was bawling in his arms a sad, hurt, broken little lump of humanity. After she had her moment she looked up at Dipper regaining her composure she noticed that she wasn't the only one crying. This boy, that despised her until last night was shedding tears for her. She couldn't believe it. She was touched in a way that she didn't know was possible. She flung herself back onto his neck, and they shared a compassionate hug. Once they separated Dipper invited her inside.

Now sitting at the kitchen table Dipper realized what was going on and the severity of the situation set in. His stoic demeanor and tough guy persona dissolved.

"Um… Can I get you anything? A drink maybe?" Dipper looked over at the clock. "Breakfast?" he asked.

Pacifica hadn't even realized how hungry she was given everything that was going on.

"Actually food sounds pretty good. I've been up since last night's party," She admitted.

"You really should get some rest too." Dipper said expressing his concern.

Dipper brought over a couple bowls of cereal and a jug of milk. Pacifica looked at the bowl awkwardly.

"Is something wrong?" Dipper asked.

"I don't think I've ever had cereal before." Pacifica replied.

Dipper not being one to let an opportunity to tease the heiress pass him by said, "Well first you pour in the milk and use the spoon to transfer the contents of the bowl to your mouth." ' _Hopefully this will lighten the mood a little.'_ He thought.

"I know how it works dork." She retorted as she began to add milk.

As she took her first spoonful Dipper added "Don't forget to chew."

Pacifica smiled and rolled her eyes at the boy. Dipper was pleased the he was able to put a smile on her face.

After the two had breakfast Dipper decided it was time to get down to brass tacks. "So you must have some kind of plan."

Pacifica gave him a slight smile. "Yeah, see look here," Pacifica said as she pointed to a particular part of the document she had brought with her.

Dipper moved to sit next to her. He read the sentence she was pointing to. ' _How do I petition to become emancipated?'_ Under that he read the first sentence ' _You must be at least 16 years old,'_ "You're not sixteen Pacifica."

"I know, but look it's rather simple to be emancipated in Oregon though."

She flipped a page back and pointed to a highlighted section. Dipper read it ' _Emancipation is a privilege, not a right, and is granted only to those minors who can demonstrate that they are prepared to live in the community like adults. A minor wishing to become emancipated should demonstrate an ability to manage his/her affairs in a mature and responsible manner,'_ "Huh; that is actually pretty straight forward," Dipper agreed, "But wait… Wouldn't your parents object to all this," Dipper brought up a good point but not good enough. Pacifica smiled brightly at his question.

"They address that too." Pacifica said pointing to another highlighted excerpt.

Dipper read. ' _Although it is not required, parental consent is a factor that a court considers when deciding whether to grant an emancipation decree to a minor. The court can grant emancipation over the objections of a parent if the court believes that the minor meets the other emancipation criteria, and if the judge believes that in light of all the circumstances, emancipation will serve the best interests of the minor,'_ After a minute of thinking Dipper said, "Okay this seems to be a perfect solution to your problems, but seriously it'll be four more years till you're sixteen."

"Well it will give me plenty of time to gather evidence against my parents and start getting all my affairs in order to prove that 'I can conduct myself in the community as an adult'," Pacifica said in air quotes.

Dipper smiled proud of his new found friend and her ingenuity. "Well I'll back you up one hundred percent."

Pacifica glowed happy with her plan and glad she had someone who was willing to support her through it. Pacifica let out a large yawn.

"Now let's find you a place to get some rest." Dipper said.


	3. Rest and be Thankful

**A/N: There is a tiny Cowboy Bebop reference in this chapter. Enjoy.**

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Chapter 3

Rest and be Thankful

Dipper went up to Soos' break room Pacifica following behind him. Dipper grabbed a couple of spare blankets on his way up. As they made it to the room Dipper opened the door revealing arguably the nicest room in the Mystery Shack. Pacifica looked around confused "Why is the nicest room in the house not being used?"

"Well actually Mabel and I had a pretty ruthless twin fight for it. Long story short I gave it to Soos as his break room."

"Riiiight," Pacifica said deciding not to press for the full story.

Dipper went over to the wrap around sofa spread a blanket over it and handed the second blanket to Pacifica. Pacifica took the time to make her makeshift bed proper while Dipper went over to the window to draw the curtains closed in order to block the morning sun. Pacifica removed her boots, jacket, and belt leaving her just in her leggings and lavender dress.

As she crawled onto the couch Dipper turned around to see his house guest getting comfy. Inadvertently he began to stare. Pacifica noticed after she had gotten comfortable. "Dipper," Nothing, "Earth to Dipper," She said. "Excuse me Earth to Dipper!" Pacifica shouted

"Uhh, what! Oh," Dipper said coming back to reality.

"You were lost in space there for a second cowboy. What were you thinking about?" Pacifica asked teasingly.

"You." Dipper answered. Pacifica blushed.

"How could one not think about this," she said flipping her hair from underneath her not missing more than a beat. Dippers face turns a light pink.

"Uhh no. No I was just thinking about how you used to be versus now. Or at least my perspective of you has changed," he said trying his best to express himself.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Dipper sat down next to her.

"Well… You've become… Well tolerable." Dipper stammered.

"Jeez thanks." Pacifica said hoping there was more to it than that. Dipper groaned in frustration.

"No I didn't mean... I'm not very good with this expressing of feeling thing."

' _Wait. Feelings! Did he just say feelings?! Does Dipper have feelings for me? Wait why do I care? Is he going to confess or something?'_ Pacifica had turned a deep red as her thoughts spiraled out of control.

Dipper not noticing continued, "Look I'm just trying to say that yesterday I thought you were the worst and now… Well I'm thankful I got to see the real you last night. That's all."

Pacifica a little relieved said, "I'm glad we don't despise each other anymore too," and with that Dipper got up and headed for the door.

"Sleep well," he said as he closed the door.

Pacifica laid on the couch for a second trying to come to terms with her thoughts. Did she like Dipper? No there was no way she could like a dork like him. With his dorky journal, the same clothes he seemed to wear every day, those little noodle arms, how he tries to help people with no thought of reward, the way he gets embarrassed so easily, his cute genuine smile, those cute brown locks, the way he doesn't like her for her money or family name, how he genuinely likes the real her… ' _Oh no_ ,' she thought.

As soon as Dipper closed the door he grabbed his chest. He couldn't believe how nervous he had been just telling her he was happy they weren't hostile towards each other anymore. Why did his heart feel this way? He turned to put a do not disturb sign on the door, and headed up the stairs to his shared attic room. Once there he crawled on top of his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Did he have feelings for Pacifica? Sure he had liked the Pacifica that he met last night, the Pacifica without any of her parents influence. Sure she is beautiful he couldn't deny that, but what else? Her confidence maybe? She always was comfortable with herself even during this transition she's in right now. She's smart. He wouldn't have been smart enough to look up child emancipation laws. Dipper thought to himself, ' _Ahh crap. Dipper, don't slip man. Don't do this to yourself. She's just a friend. A friend with beautiful blonde hair, even if it's not real, great sass, can actually keep up with me wit-wise, driven, and… Uh no._ '


	4. The Greatest Patience is Humility

Chapter 4

The Greatest Patience is Humility

During the war with Bill Cipher, Preston Northwest tried to ally himself with Bill. Needless to say this didn't go well for Preston. In turn the Northwest's had to become more… pedestrian. Having sold his family mansion in an attempt to try and regain the wealth he had lost Preston moved his family into a more modest home. It was still nice of course, but nothing like they were accustomed to. This was actually a good thing for Pacifica. You see Preston actually having to go to work to try and rebuild his family name to what it once was left Pacifica with a lot of time for her to do whatever she wanted.

Dipper and Mabel had left Gravity Falls a couple weeks ago. At their send off Pacifica had shown up and to Dipper's dismay she hugged him. To him it seemed like more than a friendly hug. It was deep and full of emotion. Dipper making up his mind decided to hug her back and put everything he had into it. All his emotion, all his feeling for her everything, and it was magical. Time seemed to stop for as long as they were together. Dipper wanting to remember this feeling forever, so he tried to take in all the sensory information he could. He looked to study what she was wearing, a purple polo shirt with a white skirt, the smell of the sweet perfume she wore, the sound of their hearts beating, the feeling of the warmth from her body. He was in bliss for the seemingly infinite moment they were together. Eventually Pacifica pulled away. She looked at him with sad eyes. Dipper had mixed feeling about these sapphire eyes, on one hand he felt bad for leaving her, and on the other hand he was happy he had such an effect on the young heiress. They looked up to notice everyone was staring Wendy smiling happy that Dipper was able to find someone to reciprocate his feelings, Soos proud of his little bro, Stan still kind of out of it from having his mind wiped, Ford with a proud grin, and Mabel practically comatose from sheer cute overload. Pacifica quickly grabbed Dipper's hand and wrote her phone number on it, giving him a quick goodbye kiss on the cheek to send him off on.

Now Pacifica could wonder Gravity Falls and do what she wanted because her parents were too preoccupied to care. So Pacifica made it her mission that school year to try and make it up to the people she used to treat like dirt whilst sitting atop of her gilded throne and laughing down upon them. She decided to start with Grenda and Candy Mabel's friends from Gravity Falls.


	5. Next

Chapter 5

Next

Today was the day that Dipper and Mabel were to return to Gravity Falls for the summer. Pacifica was ecstatic she had obtained Mabel's email and the two would have talked constantly if not for Pacifica texting or talking to Dipper almost from sunup to sundown. Pacifica and Dipper weren't in any kind of official relationship but that's only because neither of them had actually said that they were going out. Pacifica wanted to change that fact ASAP. Having Dipper not around just made her like him more. She also wanted to do something special for him. Unfortunately she couldn't think of anything that seemed personal enough.

Throughout the school year Pacifica had become a regular at the Mystery Shack and slowly befriending all the occupants. Including Wendy who seemed to harbor a little more resent for her family than the others. It turns out Wendy's family were part of the lumberjacks that helped to build the Northwest mansion. This tolled heavily on the young heiress's heart. She wanted to show Wendy that she was going to be different. She was going to abandon the Northwest family and all they stood for. In turn for a life she could truly call her own. Unfortunately she couldn't come right out and tell Wendy her master plan. No, she couldn't tell anyone. Dipper was the only one who could know for now. Alas that didn't stop her from trying to befriend Wendy, and eventually she succeeded in changing the redhead's disposition towards her.

One day while Wendy was working and Pacifica was at the Mystery Shack helping out. Wendy quizzically studied Pacifica. "So you and Dipper huh?" Pacifica froze turning a shade of red.

"What about it?" Pacifica answered. Wendy enjoying the position she had Pacifica in.

"That was some hug at his send off. Are you and him an item now or what?"

Pacifica turning a deeper shade of red stuttered, "Well I— I— We're— Umm," Wendy fell on the counter laughing at the situation she had Pacifica in. Pacifica turned to the cash register now fairly angry. Wendy looked up just in time.

"Whoa wait a minute girl. Look I think it's super cute. You two would make an adorable couple. I'm all for it," Wendy explained.

"Wait, really? I thought you were making fun of me," Pacific said slightly placated for the moment.

"Well I'll admit I was having fun teasing you, but I wouldn't make fun of your feelings for Dipper. He's like a little brother to me, well one that I actually get along with," Wendy explained, "he had a crush on me almost all summer." Pacifica was shocked by this new information. Wendy noticed Pacifica looked a little down. "Look if you're worried about me encroaching on your territory or something don't because it's not going to happen."

Pacifica adopted a defensive posture and asked, "And why's that?"

"Well for one: like I said he's like a little brother to me. Two: our age is too different, maybe if we were both out in college or something, but right now it's too weird. Three: well three is because I saw you two together at the send off and that was genuine feels right there. You two belong together," Wendy told the young heiress. Pacifica softening toward Wendy some blushed a little. "So why Dipper though? You could have like any guy in Gravity Falls," Pacifica looked at the floor searching for an answer.

"Well when we first met he didn't know who the Northwest's were and well… I was my old mean self to Mabel, and he hated me for being mean to her. A selfless reason," Pacifica reflected, "once he did learn who my family was he wasn't in awe of our status or of our fortune. I think he was indifferent about it. Then last year during my family's party he helped exorcise our ghost… Which I guess I actually ended up doing, but during that night he showed me that I could be better. He showed me that I could be me. So I guess I like him because he doesn't like me for my family name or money he likes the real me," Pacifica's heart was aflutter and her eyes moistened just a little. She looked back up at Wendy who flicked a single tear running down her cheek.

"See," Wendy began, "you two were meant to be together." The two girls shared a friendly hug together.

Back in the present Pacifica had made her way to the Mystery Shack. "Wendy?" Pacifica called out for the redhead as she entered.

"Yo!" Wendy answered. Pacifica went to the back of the store where Wendy usually hung out during her shift. "You ready for tonight?" Wendy asked.

"Well yes and no. I want to get Dipper something but I can't think of anything personal enough, and I was wondering if you could help me," Pacifica asked practically pleading.

"Hmm," Wendy thought. She looked at Pacifica and grabbed a lock of her hair. "What's more personal than you?" Wendy said with a smile.

"You want me to give him a piece of my hair?" Pacifica looked confused.

"What?! Eww no! That's weird."

Stan had entered a couple sentences ago.

"Pulling a Van Gogh? Nice. I don't suggest an ear though."

Both girls just rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

"No seriously come on," Wendy said, and grabbed Pacifica and took off.

Mabel and Dipper's bus pulled up. Soos was there to greet them as they exited the bus. "Dudes; it's so good to see you!" he said hugging them both.

"It's great to see you too Soos," the twins said in unison.

"Where is everybody?" asked Mabel.

"Oh we decided that it would be best to have you guys meet up with everyone back at the shack you know."

Dipper rushed past Soos with all his stuff.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" he said jumping in the back of Soos' truck. "Whoa, what's up with Dipper?" Soos asked looking at Mabel for an answer.

"He's jonesing for a little Pacifica alone time." Mabel giggled.

"Hey! That is definitely not completely not a lie," Dipper said defensively using a double negative as a smoke screen, "but I'm excited to see everyone else too."

Soos' truck pulled up to the Mystery Shack and everyone filed out of the house to greet the twins. Dipper jumped out of the truck giving his Grunkles a hug "You know who I am right old man?" Dipper asked his Grunkle Stan.

"Oh ha ha a real comedian." Stan joked. Ford came up behind his brother.

"It's good to see you again Dipper," Ford expressed.

Dipper smiled and moved on to see Candy and Genda. Finally he got to Wendy he gave her a hug and they expressed how much they missed each other. That's when Dipper looked around and his smile fell into a small frown. Wendy smiled knowing what, or more specifically who, he was looking for. Wendy nodded her head in the direction of the Mystery Shack's front door. Dipper looking a little confused started walking towards the door. He opened the door entering the Mystery Shack, and there stood the lone figure of a girl smiling at him. Dipper dropped his bags and his jaw at the door. "Well?" Pacifica asked. Dipper was at a loss for words. He walked around Pacifica studding her hair. She had shortened it tremendously. Pacifica's hair used to reach down to the bottom of her lower back, but now her hair didn't even reach her shoulders with the exception of one long strand hanging off her temple that wasn't touched, aside from its new color.

Mabel came in through the door behind Dipper and screamed at the top of her lungs, "PURPLE! ERMUHGHURDIT'SSOSHORT!"

"Oww. It's good to see you too Mabel," Pacifica said rubbing her ears.

Pacifica looked back at Dipper who was now giving her a smile and a seductive look. Feeling a little uncomfortable she asked again, "Well? What do you think?" Dipper approached her put his arm around her waist pulling her close. ' _Where did he get this confidence?'_ Pacifica thought.

"You look amazing!" He said and planted an awkward first kiss on her lips with the same emotion and feeling that he put in the hug they gave each other at the end of last summer. Pacifica reciprocated his kiss and his feelings. The kiss lasted for a very awkward second since it was the first romantic kiss that either of them had ever shared with anybody. Soon they parted and the couple heard applause, whistles, and awes from their friends. Pacifica blushed slightly and smiled. Dipper on the other hand was as red as a tomato and stood there rubbing the back of his neck feeling as embarrassed as he could be. Pacifica's heart was stolen.


	6. I've Fallen in Love with You Many Times

**A/N: This is my version of a story originally written by LittleAmberAmethyst called Valentine's Day. Go check it out.**

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Chapter 6

I've Fallen in Love with You Many Times

Dipper and Pacifica loved their first full summer together, being young and in love was nice. They went on many adventures both together and with their friends. They even discovered the secrets of the alien craft that was in Gravity Falls, and with Ford's help they stopped the pending invasion. At the end of their second summer Pacifica stopped and reflected on her boyfriend. ' _Most girls wish their boyfriend was as interesting and as brave as mine,'_ she thought to herself. Happily enjoying their last couple days together curled up on the couch just enjoying each other's company; knowing that it was about to all come to an end. "Can you believe we're about to go into high school?" Pacifica looked up at Dipper she hadn't even really thought about it.

"I've been so absorbed with you I haven't given it much thought," she said looking into his eyes flirtatiously.

"Pacifica I'm being serious. I mean we're about to grow up and be able to join lots of school clubs and learn stuff that will actually be useful," Dipper enthused.

"All my friends are excited about high school romances at this point," Pacifica said in a somber tone. Dipper looked down at her confused. ' _Why would she be sad about that? She already has me right?_ ' Dipper thought.

"But you already have a great boyfriend right?" Dipper said testing the waters.

"Oh Dipper, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… Well… I haven't told my friends about you yet," Pacifica admitted.

"Wait seriously? Well I guess we have only been officially going out for one summer," Dipper rationalized.

"And we've been together almost every day too so it's not like I've had time." Pacifica added. Dipper started to feel a little guilty.

"Pacifica I don't want you to stop hanging out with your friends because of me," he told his girlfriend.

"Pssh, please I'd much rather be with your anyways, and besides I only get to see you during the summer. I get the rest of the year with them," Pacifica informed him.

' _Well that does make sense,_ ' thought Dipper before saying, "Okay well I just don't want to be controlling or possessive of you or anything alright."

"Don't worry I wouldn't let you." Pacifica said smiling right before she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

The summer came to a close, and Dipper and Pacifica had to say their goodbyes to each other no matter how hard it was. Soon the school year started and Dipper found himself a freshman in high school. Lots of new paths lay before him. He joined the sleuth club, but considering he had busted many mysteries and monsters already the clubs activities paled in comparison. He joined the chess club, but quickly surpassed the skill of everyone in it. The chess club quickly lost its luster. He also joined the history club, the programming club, and the occult club. The occult club was a joke mainly consisting of a bunch of Goth kids holding fake séances. The history club kicked him out when he tried to tell them about the 8 ½ president Quentin Trembley. So he was left with the programming club, the only club where he actually learned something useful he felt.

Mabel on the other hand found herself quite at home with the people in the arts and crafts club. She even tried to get on to every committee of every school event there was. Needless to say they usually didn't let freshman in on those. The exception was with a one Valentine's Day committee. Whatever problem upperclassmen had with freshman was set aside at Mabel's sheer passion for the sacred day of love. Plus they thought they could get her to do all the work which she happily did.

One week before Valentine's Day Dipper was at the post office about to mail Pacifica her Valentine's Day present. A pair of earrings shaped like brass magnifying glasses with the handle and glass being opals. Dipper thought they were a perfect combination of Pacifica and himself. He walked home afterwards to be greeted by Mabel who was ecstatic about the upcoming Valentine's Day dance she had been planning. "Dipper please tell me you're coming to the dance. Please I need the best turn out possible so that I can get on more committees in the future," Mabel begged.

"No Mabel you know I don't like Valentine's Day. Nothing good ever happens on that day," Dipper protested.

"I thought you would see it differently now that you have a girlfriend," Mabel countered.

"Well it's not like she's going to be there so it doesn't feel like much has changed," he retorted.

Dipper sulked on the couch the rest of the night.

The night of the dance was rapidly approaching. Mabel never gave up trying to convince Dipper to go, but her motives did change. After the first attempt to try and convince Dipper to go she doubled her efforts then on Wednesday she redoubled her efforts. Dipper was stubborn once he had made up his mind not to do something, and not much would change it. ' _Why can't she see that I don't want to go to the stupid dance? If I can't go with Pacifica why would I want to go and watch other people dance with their dates?_ ' he thought to himself. For the first time since Pacifica and Dipper started going out he missed her as if he would never see her again. ' _Valentine's Day why have you cursed me so?_ ' Dipper mentally shouted at the sky.

The day of the dance had finally arrived. Fittingly it was the fourteenth. All day Dipper's senses were assaulted by public displays of affection along with other types of displays such as flowers and chocolates. All of it made him miss his girlfriend even more and it was torture to the distraught teen. Oddly though Mabel seemed to have disappeared halfway through school. ' _She's probably just putting the finishing touches on the gym for tonight's dance_ ,' he assumed. With school finally over Dipper left as fast as he could ready to just sleep the rest of the day away. Dipper arrived home, opened his front door, and heard. "Surprise!" He looked up to see Mabel and Pacifica in the living room. Dipper absolutely overcome by the sight of his girlfriend wrapped her in a deep embrace, and they greeted each other with a passionate kiss significantly less awkward this time because of all the practice they had over the summer. Dipper moved back to examine Pacifica. Being fourteen both teens had gotten to the awkward phase of puberty Dipper was much taller than Pacifica now and had a losing battle with acne, but on the plus side he had started to finally develop those Pines family muscles. Pacifica too was fighting the war on acne, faring much better than her boyfriend, and her figure had started to develop she was becoming a woman right before his eyes. Her hair was back down to her shoulders and all one color and length now. She was wearing a ball gown to put all other ball gowns to shame. It was a frosty winter blue with a snowflake lace design that covered the dress like a spider's web and she had a white alpaca wool boa to accent it. Oddly the piece that stood out the most was her earrings. They didn't match what she was wearing but Dipper knew why she wore them. They were the opal magnifying glasses he sent her. Dipper laughed in amazement.

"You look ravishing Pacifica!" Dipper told his girlfriend.

"Why thank you," She said with a coy smile.

"I brought you a three piece with matching colors," Dipper looked at her shocked he couldn't believe this.

"Come on Dipper the dance starts at five go get ready. I already gave Pacifica your tickets," Mabel exclaimed.

"Wait, how did you convince your parents to let you come down here? Did you tell them about us? Mabel, did you know about this?" Dipper quizzed finally coming to his senses.

"They think I'm down here looking at colleges, no, and of course she does. She invited me," Pacifica stated matter-of-factly, "the plan was originally to have me, the mysterious girl at the dance, turning down all the boys except for one. You," Pacifica explained the plan.

"But I couldn't get you to go for the life of me!" Mabel interrupted.

"Aww you guys. I can't believe you both would do this for me." Dipper said with much sentiment.

"We both love you bro bro," Mabel replied, "Now get up there and get ready!" Mabel yelled as she pushed Dipper up the stairs.

In his room Dipper found a charcoal gray suit with a vest and bow tie that matched Pacifica's dress perfectly, even in texture. He grabber the suit and anything else he may need and took off to the shower. While dipper was getting ready the Pines twins parent's had arrived home. Mabel introduced Pacifica and they explained what was going on. Washed clean shaven and suited up Dipper descended the stairs. For once in their relationship Pacifica was the one with her jaw on the floor. She quickly moved her hands to cover her mouth. Pacifica noticed the bowtie draped over his shoulders untied. She scurried over to him and tied it properly for him. Dipper couldn't help but smile he looked sharp and he knew it. Dippers mother was even blown away by how nice her son looked. After some pictures were taken and the Pines men had manly talks the couple and Mabel were all taken to the dance.

They arrived late to Dippers amusement. "Why are you so happy? We are late mister!" Mabel exclaimed.

"It's called making an entrance," Pacifica explained sarcastically.

Mabel groaned, "She's rubbing off on you bro."

"That's okay with me," he said flirtatiously looking at his girlfriend. They all got out and started walking into the dance Pacific handed the greeter their tickets.

"Names please," The man asked.

"Sir Dipper Pines and Lady Pacifica Northwest," Pacifica told him familiar with the tradition. She looked back at Mabel.

"I can't believe you have couples being announced that's so fancy." Pacifica jested.

"I got the idea from inviting you." Mabel said sticking her tongue out at the heiress.

The man gestured for them to follow. Dipper led Pacifica in on his arm.

"Sir Dipper Pines and Lady Pacifica Northwest."

A light shown on the couple and Dipper held up Pacifica's hand and spun her around showing off his girlfriend to the gawking audience. Even the music seemed to die down a little in awe of the two standing in the light. Pacifica returned to Dipper's arms smiling and placed a peck on his cheek before continuing into the dance.

After introducing Pacifica to a few of his friends that were there and even a few people he didn't know, the couple made their way to the dance floor. A waltz was playing and Pacifica was eager to dance with her boyfriend. Dipper placed his hand on her waist and held her other hand high. Pacifica seemed a little befuddled. ' _Does he know how to ballroom dance?_ ' Dipper noticed the befuddled look on Pacifica's face. He was going to enjoy this. The couple started to spin perfectly to the three four time scale of the waltz, moving around and around the other dancers who hadn't much of a clue how to dance a waltz. Finally the song finished Pacifica and Dipper ended with a kiss and a smile as they breathed heavily. Their faces only inches apart. Pacifica pulled Dipper off the dance floor and over to an empty table. "How did you know how to do that?" Pacifica demanded. Dipper smiled.

"Twin thing. Mabel wanted to learn competitive ballroom dancing and I wanted to learn how to box. Turns out I can dance and Mabel can box," Dipper explained.

"I wish I had been that close to someone as I grew up." Pacifica lamented

"All that is important is that you are now." Dipper whispered into her ear. Her heart fluttered a little at his words, and she was truly happy.

Eleven o'clock finally rolled around Dipper and Pacifica could feel all the daggers being stared into them. Dipper reveled in the envious glares from the boys and Pacifica in the glares from the girls. The DJ announced the last song and Pacifica, Dipper, and Mabel all gathered up their things. Mabel texted their mom to come pick them up. By the time the last song was over she had arrived to pick up the children. Dipper and Pacifica piled into the back of the car while Mabel crawled into the front. "Thank you Mrs. Pines for driving us," Pacifica expressed her gratitude.

Mrs. Pines smiled and said, "Oh think nothing of it dear. Did my little Dipper impress you with his secret dancing skills?"

"Mom!" Dipper whined

"Yes he did. I haven't danced with someone who actually knew the difference between a waltz and the rumba in years. Let alone how to do both," Pacifica purred the last part while looking into Dipper's eyes.

"Ooooh the rumba! I'm surprised they let something that saucy be danced at a school dance!" Mrs. Pines joked

"Can we just go now?" Dipper said rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

All the girls laughed at his uncomfortableness and the car headed home.


	7. A Storm Came Down and Exposed the Truth

Chapter 7

The Storm Came Down and Exposed the Truth

It was summer once again in Gravity Falls Mabel and Dipper had been back for a week before Dipper decided it was time Pacifica and himself sat down to have a meeting concerning her plan to become emancipated. It was an extremely rare day when the Mystery Shack was practically abandoned. Everyone except for Dipper had plans outside of the shack that day. "So how is your plan coming along?" Dipper asked.

"Well. I've convinced my parents to allow me to manage my own finances. It wasn't hard they thought it was an important lesson. So that's one way I can show that I'm mature enough to conduct myself as an adult," Pacifica said beaming with pride.

Dipper thought for a second. "What about convincing the judge that you would be better off without your parents? You know since they are going to object to you leaving."

Pacifica looked down at the table and said, "The only person whom I have ever told about... Them abusing me was you."

"Pacifica," Dipper said in a sympathetic tone.

"No. I have to confront it if I want to get better,"

Dipper smiled a soft proud smile. She was a strong person and it was one of her most endearing traits in his eyes.

Pacifica continued, "The only thing I can think of is closer to my sixteenth birthday I'll get in touch with a social worker and tell them the whole story even more detailed than I told you," Pacifica thought for a second before adding, "I also think I'll get a lawyer. I have enough money now since mom and dad have been giving me a hefty allowance the last few years so that I can manage my own finances."

"Won't they just cut you off?" Dipper interjected.

"They can stop giving me money but I set up the bank account myself so I'm the only one who can access it," Pacifica said smiling proudly.

"Alright smart stuff," Dipper said flirtatiously. He liked it when she displayed how smart she really was. "But what about some place to stay once you're free?" Pacifica hadn't thought of that at all.

"How about you stay here? We can ask Grunkle Stan and Ford I'm sure they will let you. You are my girlfriend after all. I'm sure Grunkle Ford won't want to get involved with someone else's family affairs, but Stan has lived a hard life I think he will understand," Dipper continued.

Pacifica liked the idea, but didn't want people to know her plan before it was put into motion. "I don't want to let them in on it until right before I file. Okay?" Pacifica said trying to make her intentions clear.

"Okay," Dipper agreed.

With that out of the way Pacifica and Dipper went out to lunch at a modest bistro Pacifica liked to frequent. Dipper not used to the style of food ended up getting some kind of French style club sandwich with a side salad while Pacifica ordered a fricassee hare. Whatever that was. The young couple really hadn't gone on many formal dates mainly because they wanted to keep their relationship hidden from her parents, but it was nice to go every once in awhile.

Dipper and Pacifica enjoyed the rest of the day together hanging out doing typical teen things. As the sun began to make its way toward the western horizon Dipper got an idea. He grabbed Pacifica by the hand and said, "Follow me," he ran off into the forest with his girlfriend in tow. The couple walked on no defined path for about ten minutes before Pacifica said something.

"Dipper I think we're lost."

"What? No. Look all the cool things in life aren't on the beaten trail, especially the magical ones," Dipper said trying to placate his girlfriend for another few minutes.

Pacifica rolled her eyes then said, "Can you at least tell me where we are going?"

"It's next to a tree," Dipper commented with a smug smirk wedged between his ears.

Pacifica gave him an annoyed look. "How about what it is?"

"That would ruin the surprise," Dipper retorted. Pacifica was becoming less and less amused.

After a couple more minutes of walking they came upon a cave. "Aha!" Dipper exclaimed, "this is it."

"It's a cave," Pacifica said less than impressed.

"The cave isn't what's special it's what's inside," Dipper explained.

Pacifica followed the boy into the cave and was even more disappointed when all she saw was a small spring pool. Dipper walked over to the pool and motioned for Pacifica to do the same. "What's this?" She asked moving over to the pool.

"You have to experience it before I can explain."

Squatting next to the pool Dipper put a hand on Pacifica's back and one above her wrist and guided her hand into the pool. The pool was cold but the water seemed to move around her hand as if it were trying to examine her.

"Don't worry it's only trying to get to know you. Don't scream," he added.

' _Don't scream? What does—,_ ' Pacifica gasped. In that moment it was like her whole life was displayed before her almost as if she could walk around in her own mind and find old memories and the feelings that accompanied them. As she gained awareness of her state of mind her memories flipped from one to another finally landing on a group with a particular feeling attached to them. The memories that flashed before her were all ones of Dipper being sweet, adorable, or brave. One memory began to linger. Twas the night of the Northwest party when Dipper had helper her with the ghost. Dipper could see Pacifica's face brighten with every memory she experienced. He couldn't see them but he knew they were good whatever they were. The night at Northwest Mansion played for awhile finally it made it to after the party when she was being scolded by her parents for disobeying. Dipper could see her face start to fall. Then she experienced the strike her father placed upon her face that night. The memories decided to become fixated on a new emotion, from ones of love and affection to ones of pain and suffering. Flashing before her were all the times her parents had punished her. Pacifica's face quickly became one of terror and fear her eyes began to moisten. "No. No!" She cried. Dipper knew something was wrong and pulled her hand out of the pool.

Pacifica's mind being forced back into reality from losing connection with the pool wasn't an easy experience. She blinked trying to regain her bearings. Seeing her still visibly crying Dipper's heart was wrought with guilt.

"What happened? What did you see?" He asked.

"I saw— I saw every bad thing my parents had ever done to me." Pacifica curled into a ball hugging her knees crying into them gently.

"Aww, Pacifica I'm really sorry. It's never done anything but show me memories with happy emotions attached to them," Dipper said practically kicking himself now sat down next to his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her.

Pacifica finally regaining some composure asked, "Okay what is that thing? You said you would explain," Pacifica pointed out still sniffling.

"Well Grunkle Ford and I think it's some kind of water spirit like the ones the ancient Greeks used to commune with. We thought this one had some kind of affinity for happy emotions and looked through our minds to find memories attached to those emotions and enjoy experiencing them with us," Dipper explained.

"Well it did start out showing me very happy memories, but why would it make me re-experience such awful memories?" Pacifica pondered.

"I don't know maybe it's drawn to memories with strong emotions tied to them. Most people block out bad memories. So they might not ever see them while communing with the water spirit," Dipper theorized.

"Okay well thanks for showing me this but I think I've had enough for one day."

And with that Dipper walked Pacifica home and went back to the Mystery Shack.

The next morning Pacifica was awakened by a knock at her door "Pacifica what is the meaning of this?" her father's voice was stern. ' _Uh-oh,_ ' she thought. Pacifica opened her door to find her father holding The Gravity Falls Gossiper. The headline read _Gravity Falls New Power Couple_ Pacifica's eyes widened as she saw the adjoined picture of her and Dipper laughing together next to a picture of Dipper and herself at the bistro. The color in Pacifica's face had abandoned her and she started to visibly shake.

"Are you dating that Pines boy?" He asked in a condescending tone. A moment passed "Well? Answer me!" the man demanded. Pacifica couldn't lie about her relationship with Dipper. She respected him too much to insult him in such away.

"Yes!" She yelled, "Yes! I Like Dipper Pines, and I'm not apologizing for it. He is the only person who likes the real me not just for our name or money! He makes me feel like the center of the universe!" Pacifica poured her heart out in hopes that her father would understand.

"You must be joking. He's just common trash. I forbid you from seeing him anymore." Preston said laying down the law.

"Forbid?" Pacifica asked sounding insulted. "He makes me happy daddy. Don't you want me to be happy?" Pacifica said trying her best to fight back the tears and appeal to what little humanity that may be hidden inside her father.

Preston sighed "Of course I want you to be happy Pacifica, but this Pines boy will only hold you back. You are a Northwest and Northwest's never settle for anything but the best," Pacifica abandoned the battle between her and her tear ducts.

"No. You're the one holding me back," She turned back into her room and slammed the door. Preston deciding to let her have her little temper tantrum left her with one final thing.

"You'll thank me one day," Preston said from behind her door.

Dipper descended the stairs of the Mystery Shack making his way into the kitchen where Stan sat drinking his coffee and reading the paper. "Uh kid. You better take a look at this." Stan said sliding the paper to the boy as he sat down at the table. Dipper read the headline and examined the pictures. "Oh no… Oh no. Oh No! No, no, no! This can't be happening!" Dipper dropped the paper back down on the table and ran out of the room. Stan just stared at the paper ' _At least the little twerp could have given it back to me._ '

Dipper back upstairs frantically getting ready accidentally wakes Mabel. "What's wrong bro bro?" She said with a yawn.

"Toby Determined wrote about me and Pacifica dating in the paper!" Dipper said panting as he hurried to get dressed.

"Oh no! What are you going to do?" Mabel questioned with concern deep in her voice.

"I have to talk to Pacifica before Preston Northwest finds out," Dipper said as he pulled his hat onto his head and ran out the door.

An hour later Mabel paced back and forth in the living room while Grunkle Stan tried to watch television "Mabel will you quit it already!? Sheesh. You're starting to make me nervous," Stan growled.

"Grunkle Stan you just don't understand love," Mabel pouted.

"Look kid. Those two are from two different walks of life maybe it's for the best," Stan said trying his best to reason with the worried girl.

Mabel gasped, "Grunkle Stan! Have you no feeling in that old heart of yours!"

The front door opened and Dipper walked in with a somber frown upon his face. Stan looked closer; he could see determination in the boy's eyes.

"How did it go? What happened?" Mabel hounded. Dipper crossed the living room and took a seat in a chair.

"I can't believe I suggested that," he said to himself.

"What?" Mabel asked.

"I suggested that she go along with what her father's wishes… For now anyways," Dipper exhaled.

"You broke up with her!?" Mabel was aghast, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"What? No," Dipper thought for a moment before explaining, "Okay look… Pacifica didn't want anyone else to know yet but we've been planning for two years now to get her emancipated from her family."

"Whoa that's sick!" Cried Grunkle Stan.

"No it means to free her from her parent's guardianship." Dipper explained pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance at Stan's outburst.

"Oooh and she didn't want anyone to know so her parents wouldn't find out," Mabel said connecting the dots.

"Huh. Smart kid. Keep the circle of people who know as small as possible to minimize the risk of someone ratting. She would have done good in the mob," Stan said with sentiment. Both Dipper and Mabel just looked at Stan confused.

"What? Don't judge me. I've lived a hard life!" Stan said in his defense.

"So when does she plan on getting her emancipation?" Mabel asked looking very excited rocking on the floor.

"In the state of Oregon you can apply for emancipation once you turn sixteen." Dipper explained.

"No, no, no. I've heard enough," Stan said getting up and walking out of the room.

"Wait!" Dipper shouted after the old man, "We need to know if you'll let Pacifica stay here if she is granted her emancipation," the old man stopped, turned, and looked Dipper down.

"Only if you can look me in the eye and tell me you have a full proof pla—."

"We have a full proof plan," Dipper said before the old man could finish.

Stan nodded, "I believe you. There it's settled now leave me out of it."

Summer vacation was depressing for Dipper after that, but eventually Pacifica found times when she could sneak away from her parents to spend time with Dipper and Mabel. Dipper informed her that Grunkle Stan would let her stay at the Mystery Shack if she was granted her emancipation. The heiress wasn't too fond of staying at the dingy dirty shack, but she looked forward to being surrounded by nice people who cared about her. Dipper also informed her that Mabel was now in on the plan, although he said she wouldn't be privy to any details. Pacifica was fine and could live with that. However, she wasn't happy about not being able to spend time with _her_ boyfriend. Dipper wasn't happy either but he had to keep reminding her, and himself, about their end goals.


	8. This Love is Difficult but it's Real

Chapter 8

This Love is Difficult but it's Real

During Dippers Sophomore year in high school he doubled his efforts in the pursuit of learning. Something clicked inside his mind over the summer. ' _If Pacifica is willing to throw away her name and wealth just to be a better person then I've got to make sure I get into a good school so I can get a good job to support her one day._ ' He thought. Dipper threw himself into his programming club, he studied Ford's Journals whenever he could, he excelled in history and physics, and was taking psychology as an elective. Dipper learned from Grunkle Ford that areas of study are not closed off from each others. For example if a psychologist studies history he is more likely to realize the motive behind a king's decision than a person who has only studied history. Dipper knew that if he learned as much as possible he wouldn't just see the world in black and white he wouldn't even see it in shades of gray. No, he knew the more he learned the more colors he would see the world in. In programming club Dipper created his own decryption program along with a rudimentary encryption algorithm. He sent a copy of the program to Pacifica with detailed instructions on how to use it, so that they could send private emails to each other without worrying about her father finding out.

Mabel started to become a little worried that he might be becoming too obsessed with cramming his brain full of new information. Grunkle Ford reassured her that he was just fine, and that his pursuit of knowledge should be commended. She wasn't too sure. She saw him change from the shy yet sociable fun loving Dipper she grew up with into a stranger who was too focused on some imaginary finish line she feared he would never reach.

Pacifica noticed the change too. It was bad enough that she could only communicate with him in secret, but what little they did communicate slowly became less and less. She actually found herself going to visit the water spirit occasionally to re-live some of the memories she had of the adorable boy she had grown so fond of. Eventually she felt like her and the water spirit had developed some kind of bond. Even gaining the ability to travel freely in her own memories to look at what she wanted. Pacifica used this gift to go back and write down in detail all the bad things her parents had done to her throughout her life. She was determined to gain her emancipation, but she was saddened that Dipper wasn't by her side. He seemed distant as of late. She felt like she was losing him and it broke her heart.

Back in Piedmont Dipper had become obsessed with solving any unknown value. If some scientist didn't know something Dipper would become determined to figure it out. ' _This is getting out of hand,_ ' thought Mabel. She had forgone any contact with Pacifica since Preston Northwest forbade her from seeing Dipper in fear of making things worse, but she had to risk it. She sent Pacifica an email asking her if Dipper had seemed to change lately. She got a reply almost immediately. ' _Yes, and I'm scared I'm losing him,_ ' that was the straw that broke the camel's back. For the last three years Mabel had been Captain, First Mate, and Second Mate of ship Dipifica and she was full steam ahead. She wasn't about to let it sink without a fight. She marched right into Dipper's room and yelled, "Dipper!" Her twin brother was nose deep in piles of research material. He had about jumped out of his skin due to his sister outburst.

"Jeez Mabel. What have I told you about knocking? Now go away," Dipper ordered in annoyance.

"Uh-uh," Mabel said standing steadfast.

"You have become obsessed with knowledge. Grunkle Ford said you should be commended. So I let it slide, but not anymore. The only thing you care about is your stupid mysteries, but look at you! You skip meals, showers, and even school a couple times!" Mabel said fed up.

"Look I need to do this for Pacifica," Dipper said trying to rationalize his actions, Mabel knew she had him now.

"But at what cost?" She said holding up her laptop with Pacifica's email.

Dipper read it. Mabel watched as what little color his face had abandoned him. His eyes grew large and began to flood. He looked around at himself, his research, to Mabel, and back to the email.

"What has happened to me?" He asked looking at Mabel.

Mabel hugged her brother and the two began to sob into each other's arms. Mabel sobbed because she was happy she was able to bring Dipper back into the light before it was too late. Dipper sobbed at the realization of the consequences of his actions.

The two twins finally regained some of their composure.

"You really need a bath," Mabel said holding her nose.

Dipper chuckled while tears ran down his face. Dipper eventually got up and went to take a shower. Mabel cleaned his room up for him and by the time he was done she was cooking dinner.

"When are you going to get a boyfriend?" Dipper said sitting down at the table putting emphasis on _you_. Mabel turned red a little flustered by his sudden questioning.

"What do you mean?" She asked in order to stall.

"I mean you kind of just went boy crazy back when we were twelve then you just kind of…" He paused looking for the right words, "Dried up." He finished. Mabel looked at him.

"Poor choice of words, but to answer your question. I don't know. I guess I saw how you and Pacifica are around each other— and— well I want something like that, and I know that I just can't go running after every boy that walks by and expect to find what you two have. Speaking of which you should probably apologize to her while you wait for this meatloaf to cook," Mabel said presenting the uncooked meatloaf.

Dipper had forgotten about Pacifica again. Mad at himself he ran up to his room and got his laptop and came back down knowing he would need his sister's support in order to talk to Pacifica again.

"What do I even say?" Dipper asked still not as sharp as he once was from lack of proper nutrition.

"Umm, probably 'I'm sorry' is a really good place to start," Mabel said.

Dipper typed out a long apology, ' _Pacifica I am so sorry for neglecting you for so long. I can only imagine how hard it must be for you to only be able to talk to me via encrypted emails, and I see now that I wasn't making it any easier. Please don't think that I have stopped caring about you because that simply is not the truth. I just lost focus on what was important. I deserve any kind of punishment you can think of. Your one and only Dipper,_ ' He encrypted the email and sent it.

"Hopefully she's in a forgiving mood," Dipper sighed.

"She'll forgive you don't worry. Maybe not right away but eventually. She'll be happy that you care enough to admit you messed up," Mabel said trying to comfort her brother while boiling potatoes.

As the minutes ticked by Dipper built quite the collection of butterflies in his stomach border line on being sick. Finally a response. It read ' _You stupid dork! Of course I'm mad at you for just abandoning me like that, but I'm happy just to hear from you. Please don't do that to me ever again. I was so scared that you had just lost interest in me or something. I need you Dipper. I would be lost without you given what we have already started. Tell Mabel I said thanks. Your mad GF Pacifica 3_ '

"See told you," Mabel said reading over her brother's shoulder.

Dipper looked at her wondering how she had gotten there. Mabel went back to the kitchen and removed the meatloaf and started to cream the potatoes. Dipper and Pacifica continued to catch up with each other as the night progressed. Mabel just skipped around happy with herself.

As the school year progressed Dipper laid off the studying and other things that he had become obsessed with and even got his driver's permit, along with Mabel of course. Dipper vowed never to let himself become that obsessed with anything ever again. The summer was right around the corner and Dipper was eager the get back to Gravity Falls.


	9. I will Prepare

Chapter 9

I will Prepare and Someday my Chance will Come

It was the twins fourth summer in Gravity Falls. Dipper had been dating Pacifica for three years and the two just having weather their first relationship storm seemed to be more comfortable around each other than ever before. Pacifica was almost old enough to apply for her emancipation. All three of the teens were fifteen with Mabel and Dipper turning sixteen on the last day of August and Pacifica following suit a couple months after that. On the twins first day back Dipper didn't expect to see Pacifica at the party but there she was in all her beautiful glory. Dipper ran to her picked her up at the waist spun her around and finally locking Pacifica in his loving embrace.

"I'm so sorry about what happened during the school year," he said never once releasing her from his arms.

"Well I'm sure you can make it up to me somehow," She said flirtatiously. Dipper just realizing she was actually at the party.

"How did you get away from your parents?" Dipper asked in amazement.

"Well they stopped hound dogging me as soon as you guys left. I'm sure they'll start back up once they know you're here," Pacifica explained before an idea popped into her head.

"You know I think I just got an idea about how you can make up abandoning me during the school year," Pacifica said rather coyly.

"Anything!" Dipper exclaimed.

"Well for now just enjoy your party," Pacifica told him.

The Northwest's are many things including resourceful. Over the last three years Preston had managed to get back almost everything he had lost from his deal with Bill including their wealth and the dignity of their name. Alas McGucket wasn't willing to part with the mansion.

A few weeks later.

"Dad can I take the limo to Portland tomorrow to go clothes shopping?" Pacifica asked trying to sound innocent.

"Of course honey, but only for a day trip. That means you go to Portland and come back in one day," Preston said sternly holding up his index finger to signify one.

"Thanks dad!" Pacifica said beaming as she ran out of his parlor and into her room. She took a seat at her desk and opening her laptop to send an encrypted email to Dipper. ' _Be up and ready to go tomorrow morning before the sun comes up around five, and don't eat breakfast._ '

Dipper couldn't sleep past four o'clock so he got up shaved, showered, and decided to put on something he thought was a bit more stylish. He knew Pacifica must have something big planned for her to ask him to be up before dawn. So he put on a dark pair of jeans a deep blue button down with the sleeves rolled up about mid forearm and a black silk vest he had gotten with his Christmas money. Now he was pacing in the living room of the Mystery Shack. The grandfather clock struck five, apparently Ford had gotten it working, and half a minute later a limo pulls up. Dipper went out to meet it with an unsure feeling lodged in his stomach until Pacifica got out and motioned for him to join her. They both took a seat in the back of the limo, and the driver took off toward Portland.

Dipper having never been in a limo before smiled and looked around at all the fine details, but the best thing in the car was sitting right next to him watching him.

"Did you dress yourself today?" Pacifica teased.

"It just so happens that I did," Dipper said with sass giving his vest a tug. Pacifica giggled.

"So where are we going?" Dipper asked.

"Portland," Pacifica replied.

Dipper taken aback a little asked, "Portland? What are we going to doing in Portland?"

"Well I've been with you monster hunting, mystery solving, and don't forget the water spirit, who by the way is very happy you introduced me to her," Pacifica informed Dipper.

"Wait, you went back to the water spirit's cave?" Dipper asked.

"Yes, many times in fact. I used her to make an accurate description of all the times my parents abused me. Then I gave the written accounts to my lawyer. He was impressed by the level a detail. I couldn't tell him exactly how I got the information so I just said I used to keep a diary," Pacifica said smiling proudly as she told the tale.

"Is that all?" Dipper asked wanting to know if there was any more to this story.

"Well…" Pacifica began, "I originally went back because I started to miss you a lot, and I knew if I could come to an understanding with the water spirit I would be able see your face again."

Dipper looked down at the floor feeling depressed over the memory of what happened during the school year. Pacifica grabbed his chin and lifted it up to her face.

"I told you I'm not mad about it anymore," Pacifica said with large understanding eyes.

"And after today I might even forgive you completely." She said with a playfully smile. Dipper's smile returned to his face.

"So why Portland again?" Dipper asked.

"Right—" Pacifica said getting back on topic, "Well like I said I've seen you in your element and now it's time for you to see me in mine."

Dipper looked at her almost scared of what she might have planned. Pacifica smiled.

"Shopping!" She said clapping her hands. Dipper sunk in his seat.

"What have I gotten myself into?" He asked rhetorically.

"Oh it won't be that bad," Pacifica said giving him a nudge on the shoulder.

After that Pacifica interlocked her fingers with Dipper's and cuddled into his arm. Not much was said between Gravity Falls and Portland. Not much needed to be said, the couple had become comfortable with the silence and all they needed was the company of the other.

After a while Dipper got to thinking and asked, "How did you talk your dad into letting you go to Portland by yourself?"

"I just asked," Pacifica told him the truth.

"You just asked?" Dipper questioned trying to get to the bottom of it.

"Look Dipper I know you think really low of my parents, but they do love me," Dipper began to defend himself but was cut off by Pacifica.

"I know, but… Do you know why we used to have so many peacocks?" She asked him. Dipper just shook his head.

"When I was little some girl said some really mean things to me and it made me cry. Obviously dad was furious, but he couldn't stand to see his little girl cry. So he asked me what my favorite animal was. I told him peacocks were really beautiful. So he had twenty peacocks shipped in that afternoon and presented them to me as a surprise," Dippers face sunk a little. Maybe he had been a little harsh on them.

"Well it doesn't make what they've done to you right," He puffed.

"I know," was the solitary response she offered. They went back to silence until they arrived in Portland around seven.

As they entered Portland Dipper lifted himself up in the seat in order to take in the sights.

"First time here?" Pacifica asked.

Dipper nodded his head yes and added, "I've never been this far north before," Pacifica's face lit up.

"Okay first we are going to have breakfast at a delightful French bakery," Pacifica informed him.

Dipper wasn't really into pastries, but today was Pacifica's day and he would do anything with her. The limo pulled up outside the bakery, which had some French name Dipper couldn't pronounce, they went inside and talked to the baker for a while before asking her about some of the pastries. Dipper finally found something that sounded good to him. A Beignet some kind of fried dough covered in a mountain of powdered sugar. Pacifica had a cinnamon éclair with a red candied cherry on top. The two sat and ate, enjoying each other's company talking about things such as friends, school, and what not. Pacifica enjoyed a large cup of hazelnut cappuccino while Dipper found pleasure in his coffee straight up.

An hour later some of the boutiques she was planning on going to had opened. The first was a shop that sold handmade dresses Pacifica tried a few on and bought one. Not exactly a home run. So she moved on to the next one, an accessory shop, with Dipper in tow. Pacifica looked at purses for what seemed like an hour. She finally decided on one. While they were paying for the purse the shop keeper commented on what a cute couple they were. Pacifica noticed that Dipper didn't even blush. She couldn't have that so she added, "And I didn't even have to dress him this morning." Dippers face turned red and he looked up at the ceiling as the lady laughed with Pacifica. ' _There we go,_ ' she thought. They walked into the next store, Dipper was a little shocked that it was full of men's clothes. He turned to Pacifica with an eyebrow raised. "Every girl loves getting clothes that they think their man looks good in," Pacifica explained. Dipper satisfied with the answer turned back to the store. Pacifica took the bags and Dipper went to peruse the store.

A man came out of the back and said, "I think I have something that will go perfect with that vest young man."

Dipper followed him to a corner of the store. Pacifica followed along and observed. Giving her input when and where she felt it was needed. Finally Dipper and Pacifica left with a shopping bag full of clothes. A few more shops were visited and Dipper was starting to feel like a pack mule.

It was about lunchtime so Pacifica called the limo driver to come pick them up. Dipper deposited all the bags into the trunk of the car before joining Pacifica in the back. Dippers phone rang.

"Where are you?" a nervous voice on the other end said. Dipper looked over at Pacifica.

"I'm in Portland, Mabel," he said so Pacifica would know who he was talking to. The limo drove off.

"Portland? How did you get to Portland?" Mabel asked exasperated.

"A limo," Dipper replied.

"What? A limo? Portland? You better start explaining. We all just wake up and no one knows where you are. We gave you a few hours thinking you were in the forest or something!" Mabel said sounding very flustered now.

Dipper having had his fun messing with his twin said, "Pacifica came and picked me up in their limo around five this morning to take me to Portland so she could have a pack mule for her shopping extravaganza," Dipper smiled looking back to Pacifica. She just stuck out her tongue at him.

"Hey, sorry I didn't leave a note or anything my mind was pretty preoccupied you know," Dipper added.

Mabel finally came back, "Okay well make sure you get me something. Okay? You owe me for the midday panic attack!"

"Alright Mabel we'll get you something," Dipper assured her.

"Alright, bye. Don't have too much fun lover boy," Mabel teased. Dipper hung up the phone.

About that time the limo pulled up in front of an Italian restaurant. At least he could pronounce the name of this one. ' _Luigi's_ ' it didn't look like the sort of place Pacifica would normally go. The couple went inside the restaurant and it was packed. Dipper asked for a table for two.

The hostess said, "There was a thirty minute wait."

"We'll wait put us down as Dr. Pines," he said. The couple found a bench to sit and wait for their table. They clasped hand and sat down.

"Dr. Pines?" Pacifica said with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah. Why not? It'll be true one day," Dipper said as he settled in to the bench.

"Oh really? An MD or a PhD?" She asked

"A PhD. I've been thinking about pursuing a career in archaeology while continuing my pursuit of the occult sciences with Grunkel Ford," Dipper explained.

"That sounds like a plan," Pacifica said comforted by the knowledge that Dipper had a long term plan.

Dipper and Pacifica enjoyed lunch. He quickly learned why the restaurant was so busy this was some of the best spaghetti he had ever had, and the breadsticks were to die for. As they ate they shared some laughs telling stories about the past school year, and even talked about their future a little. Pacifica shared her desire to start her own fashion line and design clothing for a living. Dipper thought her and Mabel could go into business together.

After lunch Pacifica decided that they would see the sights a little so the couple enjoyed a limo tour of Portland in their own private limo. After stopping to see a few tourist attractions and picking up Mabel a souvenir. They decided to get dinner then head home. Pacifica wanting to just spend time with her boyfriend decided to just go somewhere with a quite atmosphere. She chose dinner theater. Dipper and Pacifica entered the establishment to find that _Macbeth_ was to be performed that night. The lights dimmed and the thespians took to the stage. Food was brought out and the tiny clinking of silverware could be heard for a while. Dipper enjoyed the parts with the three witch sisters. Pacific enjoyed the part where she cuddled into her boyfriend's chest. During intermission the couple left needing to get back to Gravity Falls at a halfway decent hour in order to avoid raising suspicion.

During the ride back to Gravity Falls Dipper and Pacifica went over their plan one last time just to make sure it was solid. Pacifica had gotten a lawyer to help guide her through the emancipation procedures, and informed him of her parent's abuse. She tossed the social worker idea after she found out they would just put her into the guardianship of someone else till she was eighteen. She had been managing all of her own finances for two years now and maintained good grades in school never missing a day to show how responsible she was. Lastly she had a place to move into after she was granted her emancipation. They talked about a few other minor details. Once satisfied that they had planned the best they could the couple cuddled into each other on the back seat of the limo. They were in bliss together.

The limo pulled up to the Mystery Shack a little after ten. Dipper got out went to the trunk and got his bag of new clothes and Mabel's souvenir. Pacifica had gotten out to say goodbye and wrapped her arms around Dippers neck and gave the young man a passionate kiss. Dipper kissed back. Pacifica's foot hiked up off the ground involuntarily. Mabel, Candy, and Grenda watched the show from inside. Dipper thought he could actually hear their awes. Pacifica pulled away from Dipper as she got back in the car she said, "Best. Day. Ever." Dipper laughed silently as the limo drove off and he went inside to be greeted by the three teenage girls and Wendy who was home from college for the summer. They had been watching _Duck-Tective_ until a far more interesting show had appeared outside the window.

Wendy was the only one to say something, "Way to go dude," She said smiling happy for him. Mabel, Candy, and Grenda were still frozen. Dipper just looked at them.

"I'm going to put this stuff up. Make sure they don't forget to blink," he told Wendy.

Pacifica arrived home a couple minutes after dropping Dipper off. The limo driver brought all the bags in for her and was dismissed by Preston.

"So sweetie how did it go?" He asked Pacifica.

Pacifica playing down how giddy she was on the inside said, "Good. I got a couple dresses maybe I can wear one at the family party this year," Preston didn't care much more he was mainly just being polite, and didn't want to talk about dresses.

"That's good dear," He said as he headed off to bed. Pacifica got a couple butlers to help her with the bags of clothes and went to her room.


	10. The World is Quiet Here

Chapter 10

The World is Quiet Here

The summer had come to an end. Pacifica continued to sneak away to hang out with her boyfriend and her best friend, his twin, whenever she could find an opportunity. Though now they didn't dare do anything in public, lest they be seen by the inhabitants of Gravity Falls. Dipper and Mabel had gone back to Piedmont and Pacifica was left alone once again. Sure she had friends, but she had no one that she had really connected with like the Pines twins. Thanks to her parents she couldn't even go to the Mystery Shack to see the people she had come to call friends.

November had finally graced Pacifica with its presence. Her sixteenth birthday was upon her which meant she could finally file for emancipation. Pacifica forced herself to wait a week before she finally felt comfortable sneaking off to meet with her lawyer to get the ball rolling. Luckily for her, her lawyer was able to take care of getting all the paperwork together and submit her request without her mostly. Now she just had to wait till the court decided whether or not to see her case.

Sometime in February the courts decided she met all criteria for eligibility and set a court date. Pacifica was ecstatic, but worried how she was supposed to inform her parents. They wouldn't be too happy, and she was scared of what they might do. The only person she could confide in at the time was her lawyer. The man said they would have to be issued a court summons eventually anyways and that he would be the one to deliver it when the time came. Pacifica was comfortable now knowing she wasn't going to be the one to tell them.

Back at home Pacifica emailed Dipper to update him on the situation. ' _The state has finally agreed to hear my case, and I received a court date. Luckily for us it is right at the beginning of summer. That way you won't have to miss school. My lawyer said he would be the one to give my parents their court summons once it's issued. I'm really nervous right now Dipper,_ ' Dipper having tweaked his email encryption program a little made a phone app, which was synced with the computer program, to notify him whenever he got an email from Pacifica so he didn't forget about her again. Dipper was at home eating dinner with his family sharing a laugh with them because Mabel was doing something quirky, when his phone chirped. He excused himself and went up to his room and read her message. ' _You have nothing to be worried about. We've been planning this for four years. Trust in yourself Pacifica your plan is amazing. When I think about everything you've been through and see what you've become in spite of your circumstances. It reconfirms why I like you so much,_ ' Dipper sent his reply, and went back downstairs to finish his dinner. Pacifica being a nervous mound on her bed heard her laptop chime from an incoming email. As she read it she smiled and tears began to form in her eyes. She felt so loved by this boy. ' _You always know what to say, and when to say it. You're right I just need to have a little faith in myself. Thank you. See you this summer._ '

A couple weeks later Pacifica's lawyer paid the Northwest household a visit.

"Preston Northwest?" The man asked.

"Yes. Who the devil are you?" Preston demanded.

The lawyer thrust an envelope in the Preston's face. Preston took it and opened it. He read ' _The State of Oregon summons Preston and Priscilla Northwest to attend court…_ ' ' _Blah,blah,blah,_ ' he thought.

"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

"I am your daughter's attorney, and you are being summoned to attend her emancipation hearing," Preston was shocked and confused.

"But I object!" He exclaimed.

"The judge will take that into consideration sir," the lawyer informed him.

"Oh, and if you do not appear the Judge will hold you in contempt of court and kidnapping."

"Kidnapping?! I can't kidnap my own daughter," he scoffed.

"As of now you and your daughter are considered two separate entities, until the judge decides to grant her emancipation or not," The lawyer informed Preston.

Preston was livid by now. He slammed the door in the man's face, and marched up to Pacifica's room to get to the bottom of this. He threw open her door.

"What is the meaning of this?" He said throwing the summons toward her. Pacifica looked scared and hurt as she picked up the paper.

"I filed for my emancipation a week after I turned sixteen, and a couple months ago the state decided to hear my case," she said trying her best to be brave.

"I don't understand! Haven't we given you everything you could have ever wanted?" Preston appeared genuinely hurt, but Pacifica couldn't let that sway her.

"Everything except for my own life, and a home that I felt comfortable enough in to make my own mistakes," Pacifica said standing up for herself.

"We are Northwest's our path in life was laid out for us," he said proudly.

"Well not for me. I'm done with our broken family name and I'm going to live my life how I want to live it!" Pacifica said defiantly.

Anger returned to Preston's face.

"Don't you dare spit on our family name," he said raising his hand.

"Go ahead do it. That's exactly why I did this! You have no one to blame but yourself!" Pacifica yelled.

Preston caught himself before his hand fell. He stood silently for a minute before turning and leaving. Closing her door behind him, As he started down the hallway he heard his wife's voice.

"You got exactly as you wanted Preston. A Northwest stands up and takes what they want, and she is doing exactly that. You should be proud of her," Preston turned to see a somber expression on Priscilla's face.

"I realized that myself," he said.

As Pacifica heard her parents leave she ran back over to her bed and called Dipper for the first time in two years.

As the rest of the school year passed Pacifica and Dipper kept in contact. Finally being able to talk on the phone again was nice. Pacifica still frequented her new friend the water spirit to share in her memories of the boy she loved. With Valentine's Day around the corner Dipper reminisced about the time Pacifica and him made the whole school jealous at the Valentine's Day dance his freshman year. He laughed to himself remembering all the questions he got about her the following week. Throughout the rest of the school year Dipper tinkered with oddities and gadgets, staying ever vigilant in his studies until school was finally over. ' _This is it,_ ' he thought, ' _After this summer Pacifica will finally be free and everything will be right with the world. Only a couple more weeks._ '

The twins return to Gravity Falls this year was special for many reasons, but right now it was special because it was the first time Dipper and Mabel didn't have to ride the bus to get there. Now both twins were fully licensed drives. On their sixteenth birthday the Pines parents tried to buy their kids a car to share, but Dipper made his best argument against it. Instead he wanted a truck. You see cars don't work to well once you get them off the pavement, and like Dipper told Pacifica once all the cool things in life are off the beaten trail. Mabel didn't care; she was just happy to have her driver's license. Eventually they caved, and bought their kids an old 80's Japanese 4x4. Dipper was super thrilled, and Mabel dubbed it the Twinmobile. "I'm not calling it that," Dipper said voicing his objections to the name.

As Mabel drove into Gravity Falls that night for the twins fifth summer back she and Dipper were super excited because Pacifica was about to be rid of her family's influence forever and they couldn't be more happy for her. They approached the Mystery Shack where all their friends had gathered to greet them. Mabel threw the truck into park and jumped out at a Mabel speed. She was greeted by Candy and Grenda who all shared a hug together and caught up on the school year. Dipper eventually made his way out grabbing a duffel bag of clothes. He was first greeted by the most beautiful girl in Gravity Falls. She had hit a growth spurt, probably her last, and was just a little shorter than Dipper now. Both of their acne had cleared for the most part and Dipper had started to grow out the hair on his chin since it had filled out some. Pacifica enjoyed playing with his chin hair, but soon abandoning it for the whole of him as they wrapped each other in a warm embrace. The two parted after a minute but did not let go entirely. Dipper moved, with Pacifica under his arm, on to greet Wendy, Soos and Soos' girlfriend Melody. Wendy expressed her thoughts on how cute they were together. Dipper smiled proudly never getting tired of hearing it, and Soos just enthused about all the crazy thing they might get into this summer. Melody, standing next to Soos expressed how nice it was to see Dipper again.

As the party moved inside Pacifica pulled Dipper aside to tell him, "We need to go by my lawyers tomorrow he wants to meet you and possible use you to prove that may parents are a poor judge of character."

"Seriously? Okay," Dipper reluctantly agreed.

"He wants the judge to decide for himself if they have any real cause to keep me from dating you, which there isn't aside from you not being rich," She added.

"I said okay," Dipper repeated. Pacifica smiled and entered the house under her boyfriend's arm.

The welcome back party was always a good time for everyone to catch up with the people they had not seen in awhile. Half way through the night Soos got everyone's attention.

"Excuse me everyone I'd like your attention please. I have something to ask someone," the man child turned to Melody and got down on one knee.

"Melody I've known you for like five years now and I can't believe you've stayed by my side that long. So it would make me like the happiest dude here if you would marry me."

"Oh my gosh Soos. Yes!" Melody exclaimed.

Soos stood up and hugged his new fiancée and shared a kiss with her. Pacifica wrapped both her arms around Dipper's chest squeezing him while squealing and jumping up and down. Mabel, Candy, and Grenda were all stricken with the same affliction. Dipper even thought he heard Wendy squeal, and turned his head to look at her. She noticed and quickly reformed her composure. Dipper laughed at her trying to be cool still.

Stan moved over to Soos the son he never had and said, "Well I guess there isn't any better time to do this. Soos I want you to have the Mystery Shack," a collective "What?!" went through the shack.

Ford stepped forward. "Yes, it's time for us old dogs to move on to new territory."

Dipper looked hurt ' _How could they abandon me like this? I still have so much to learn._ '

Ford continued, "For centuries there had been stories of an elder being slumbering up in the Arctic Circle. Visions from sailors and stories from fishermen have told of it for as long as man has visited. Stanley and I have decided to go and try to get to the bottom of it."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew old man!" Dipper shouted from the back of the group Pacifica still under his arm.

"Dipper, I've taught you almost everything I know. Everything else you're just going to have to figure out on your own," Ford started. Deep down Dipper knew this was true.

"Besides it's not goodbye we'll have to come back eventually for supplies, and depending on where you're at in life maybe you could join us," Dipper feeling consoled by his Grunkle's words gave the old man a smile. Ford returned the smile with his own.

"Alright everyone I thought this was a party," Stan said turning on some music.

After everyone's energy had died down a little Wendy went outside and started a campfire. Wendy, Mabel, Candy, Grenda, Soos, Melody, Dipper, and Pacifica all gathered around the warmth of the fire.

"So Wendy, whatever happened to Tambry and the rest of the gang?" Dipper asked.

"Well—" Wendy said thinking, "Nate and Lee are still the bros they have always been. They moved down to California for college. I think Lee is playing basketball or something. Thompson is getting some kind of business degree in Portland. Robbie and Tambry are still together. Although I'm to understand that it's not natural," She said looking at Mabel.

"Jeez, you use god powers once and you never hear the end of it." Mabel defended herself.

"Nah its cool," Wendy started, "I can't deny that they seem perfect for each other," they all shared a small chuckle and continue talking late into the night.


	11. In the End you Will be Judged

Chapter 11

In the End you Will be Judged

The next morning Pacifica awoke in a strange room. Shocked she tried to get up when she felt a tug on her shoulder. She realized she was wrapped up in her favorite pair of arms. A smile spread across her face as she looked back at Dipper still asleep. She had forgotten that she decided to just spend the night after how late it was before everyone else went home. Pacifica managed to escape Dippers grasp without waking him. She left a note on the twin's door and went down stairs. She was met by Stan in the kitchen.

"Jeez. You're still here princess? How late did you kids stay up?"

"Late," was her reply to the old man's question. She grabbed her purse and left.

Pacifica made it home without anyone noticing. She bathed got changed, had breakfast, and left again. Dipper woke up, the smell of Pacifica still lingering on his pillow. He looked around to find her when he saw something on the door. He got up and went to read the note left there by his girlfriend. ' _Don't forget that we are going to the lawyers today I'll be back around ten xoxo,_ ' He looked at the clock. It was nine thirty. He grabbed a change of clothes and ran to the bathroom to get ready.

He came down to the living room to find Pacifica talking with Mabel.

"There's your lover boy," Mabel said to her bestie as Dipper entered the room.

"Hey," Dipper said greeting Pacifica.

"Come on or we'll be late," Pacifica said holding out her hand. Dipper took her hand in his before walking Pacifica to his truck, and the couple took off.

At the lawyer's office they ran through the order of events in which the hearing would play out. Finally he got to Dipper's part.

"Now Dipper we are going to put in the notes that Pacifica's father doesn't want her seeing you. I know the judge, and he'll be interested and follow up the note with Preston. At some point I'll suggest that he examine you for himself. Okay? All you have to do is answer the questions honestly. Pacifica has answered every question I've had about you so I'm sure you're a good kid which is all the judge will be interested in."

"Alright I can do that," Dipper said a little nervous.

"Good," The lawyer followed up.

Finally the day of the hearing had come. Dipper paced nervously outside the courtroom wearing a nice charcoal gray three piece suit with a silk tie displaying an interesting square design where the weave changes in every square so you could only see a few squares at any one angle. ' _Where is she?_ ' he wondered. He looked up just in time to see Pacifica round the corner. She was wearing a tight black dress that ended just above her calves. Over that she wore a purple jacket that ended a couple of inches below her bust, and a black belt around her waist that sported a gold buckle. As she got closer Dipper noticed that she was taller than him. He looked down to see her wearing heels. He didn't like heels really, but he can't deny the fact that he liked what they did to her backside. Pushing the thought out of his head he greeted his girlfriend.

"Everyone is here except for your parents," he explained.

"They'll arrive exactly on time watch," Pacifica said willing to bet on what she just said. The two entered the courtroom. Pacifica took her seat at one of the tables next to her lawyer. Dipper sat on the first viewing row right behind her.

The clock struck two and as if on cue the doors to the court room opened and Mr. and Mrs. Northwest entered. Soon after the Northwest's took their seat the judge entered all stood until the judge took his seat and everyone followed suit.

"Okay so..." the judge said as he looked at the case folder, "a Ms. Pacifica Northwest applying for emancipation today." He paused and lowered the file. "I've read over the notes that she and her lawyer have provided me. They claim that she meets all of the requirement set forth by the state of Oregon in order to be emancipated. Is that correct?"

Pacifica stood and answered, "Yes your honor."

"And am I also correct that her parents object to this," the judge continued.

Preston stood and confirmed. "That is correct."

"So Pacifica, tell me why you believe you qualify for emancipation," the judge urged.

"According to the law a minor must prove that they can handle themselves in society as an adult. To that end I've been managing my own finances alone for two and a half years. I have amassed quite the savings," she said handing a folder full of bank records and investment statement to the judge.

"I must admit this is quite impressive," The judge said after thumbing through the documents for a couple seconds. "The stipulation is to make sure that the minor won't be a burden on society without their parents. I think this sufficiently proves that you are fairly resourceful when it comes to money, but what about your education? If I decide to grant you emancipation your parents won't be obliged to help you anymore. Let's say you cut off contact with them all together, like many do who are in your situation, how do you plan on going to college?" Preston smiled thinking the judge had her trapped.

"Like almost every other college student in America sir," The Judge raised an eyebrow, "Student loans," Pacifica finished.

Preston's face dropped he couldn't believe his own daughter would ever even think about owing anyone money. The judge nodded.

"Not the ideal solution of course, but it's the unfortunate reality we live in," The judge paused for a moment, "What about living arrangements? Have you given any thought to where you might stay once officially declared an independent adult by this court?"

Pacifica gave a quick glance toward her parents before looking back to the judge.

"I have a place to live if the court grants me emancipation, but I'd rather not say where specifically."

Pacifica's glance at her parents had not gone unnoticed by the judge who gave his own look at the Northwest's.

"I understand," He said.

The judge placed his finger above his lip staring blankly into the floor thinking.

"You've given a lot of thought to this haven't you Ms. Northwest?" He asked looking at Pacifica.

"Yes sir. I've been preparing this for four years and I've had tremendous support from my boyfriend," she said gesturing toward Dipper. Preston stood up.

"I forbade you from seeing that boy!" He shouted.

"Yes, why would you forbid your daughter from seeing this young man?" The judge asked Preston.

"Because he's a lowly commoner!" Preston explained. The judge looked at the patriarch of the Northwest name a little perturbed.

"So the only reason you don't want him seeing your daughter is because he doesn't come from any kind of 'Noble Blood'?" The judge questioned. At this Pacifica's lawyer stood up.

"If it would simplify things your honor how about you question the young man and decide for yourself if he is any kind of bad influence on my client," the Judge considered the offer.

"Very well. The people Ms. Northwest decides to surround herself with is a good measure of her character. Step forward son," Dipper stood buttoning his suit jacket and approached the floor.

"Introduce yourself for the record."

"I'm Dipper Pines of Piedmont California," Dipper stated.

"Is Dipper your real name son?"

"Uh no… I've been called Dipper for so long I tend to forget it's not my real name," Dipper explained blushing hoping he hadn't just blown his shot.

"That okay son," the judge said noticing his uncomfortable stance.

"Why do you think Mr. Northwest doesn't want you seeing his daughter?" Dipper thought for a second.

"He said it himself he doesn't like the fact that I'm not rich and I don't carry a family name that has greatness attached to it."

"Right, well you said you're from Piedmont. That's quite a ways away. What brings you to Oregon?"

"Family your honor. When me and my twin sister where twelve our parents started sending us to live with our great uncle Stan in Gravity Falls for the summer to build character. That's where I first met Pacifica. We actually started out not liking each other very much. She was a lot like her Parents back then."

The judge was intrigued "And how did you and the young Ms. Northwest come to be involved with each other?"

Dipper chuckled. "Well, I helped her with a problem as a favor to my sister, and during the time we spent together I got to know her more and even saw the person she was without her parents influence. It kind of snowballed from there," Dipper explained.

"That sounds very natural. Well young man. Have you ever been in trouble with the law?"

"No, your honor."

"School?"

"Straight A's almost perfect attendance."

"What about your plans for the future?" The judge asked.

Dipper smiled. "I plan on becoming an archaeologist. I've always like to solve mysteries, and if I can do that and contribute something to humanity. Well that sounds like a good life to me."

The judge smiled at his answer. Preston interjected "You want to date my daughter and crawl around in the dirt!?"

"Sit down Mr. Northwest! You should be proud of your daughter for picking such a well behaved and grounded young man to be her boyfriend," he yelled at Preston before dismissing Dipper back to his seat.

"Now. Ms. Northwest," the judge motioned toward Pacifica "are all these people behind you here to support you?"

Pacifica turned to see all the faces of her friends. There was Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, Soos, Melody, Stan, Ford, Candy, and Grenda. She turned back to the judge. "Yes your honor."

The judge looked over to the Northwest's side of the court. It was empty.

"You have quite the support group," he stated.

"I couldn't have done this without them."

"Well I believe I've made up my mind. If anybody has anything to add please do so now," said the judge.

Pacifica looked down at the folder in front of her it was full of all of the awful thing her parents had done to her. She didn't want to have to use it but she would if she had to. She started to grab the folder to present it to the court. A hand fell on her shoulder.

"I don't think we're going to need that," she looked up at her lawyer and nodded happily in agreement. The judge looked around the room on last time.

"No? Alright then. By the power invested in me by the state of Oregon I hereby relieve Preston and Priscilla Northwest of the guardianship of their daughter Pacifica Elise Northwest. You are now a legal adult young lady."

A loud roar came from Pacifica's side of the courtroom as all her friends stood to applaud her. Tears filled her eyes as she immediately turned and grabbed Dipper by the neck and hugged him. Mabel finally pried the two apart and got her own hug in. As Pacifica's side of the courtroom celebrated. Mr. and Mrs. Northwest stood waiting to see if their daughter would acknowledge them in any way. The only thing they got was a manila fold tossed on their table full of the awful thing they did to her growing up, as Pacifica and her party left.


	12. History is Written by the Winners

Chapter 12

History is Written by the Winners

For the first time ever Pacifica was free to do whatever she wanted with Dipper. She could hang on him in public, go on dates in public without caring who saw them, or even if she so chose she could even kiss him in public, which is exactly what she did just because she could. Dipper, not being used to this public display of affection blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. The same thing he always did when he was embarrassed. After four years of dating Pacifica was glad she could still make him embarrassed with only a kiss. Pacifica's victory party had moved to a family restaurant, where Pacifica sat in Dippers lap at the head of the table.

As she looked around she saw everyone having a good time laughing sharing stories congratulating her. She felt loved. Something she wasn't used to feeling from people, except for Dipper, but his love was special, this love was more like the love of a family. Pacifica was truly happy.

After the party Dipper went to talk with Soos.

"I've got a favor to ask you Soos," Dipper said.

"Sure dude what is it?"

"See Pacifica and Stan had an understanding that she would live at the Mystery Shack until we graduate high school, and now that you're the owner I just wanted to make sure that offer extended to you."

Soos gave Dipper a smile. "No problem dude once Mr. Pines leaves it'll only be me and Melody living there so there will be plenty of room."

"Thanks Soos. You're the best."

"Aww well I'm just looking out for my bro," Soos said feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Oh one more thing," Dipper called out.

"Yeah?"

"Well Pacifica needs her stuff from her parents and seeing as we're the only two with trucks…"

Soos understood. "No problem dude."

"Bring Melody along she can help Mabel with the clothes."

After Dipper dropped Pacifica off at the Mystery Shack Dipper and Mabel in one truck led Soos and Melody in the other to the Northwest's new mansion. They pulled up in front of the mansion. Dipper rang the doorbell. Preston Northwest answered the door.

"Are you here to gloat Pines?" He asked.

"What? No. Look I don't know where you get these ideas about me. We're here for Pacifica's stuff."

Preston feeling utterly defeated motioned for them to follow him. He led them up a flight of stairs and down a hallway to Pacifica's old room. Melody and Soos had never seen the inside of the Northwest's old mansion so they didn't really know what to expect. Simply put they were in awe of all the fancy things in the house.

Soos and Mabel carried collapsed boxes into the Pacifica's former room. Melody and Mabel then started packing all of Pacifica's smalls into the boxes. While Dipper and Soos carried her bedroom suit out and load it in the truck best they could. Priscilla watched from afar weeping silently. Eventually the four had cleared out the room. Nothing was left. Luckily for them Pacifica had downsized her wardrobe a lot after the Bill Cipher fiasco.

As the group started to pile into their vehicles Dipper looked back to the Northwest's standing in the front door Preston holding the manila folder that contained a record of their abuse.

"Did you know about this?" He asked.

"Yeah, and you better be grateful she didn't slander your precious name with it," Dipper said and got in his truck and drove off.

Back at the Mystery Shack Pacifica was curious how her parents were.

"They looked really hurt as if they were ashamed of themselves," Dipper explained.

"I feel so bad for hurting them like this."

"And that's why you're better than them," Dipper tried to comfort his beloved, "I know it hurts right now and I'll be right beside you until you're ready to move on. Okay?"

Pacifica eyes filled with tears and she hugged Dipper's neck.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Now let's get you moved in."

She pulled back nodding tears still in her eyes.

It took Mabel and Pacifica about an hour to move all of Ford's stuff out of the spare room. Ford decided that most of it was research material and moved it into the basement for Dipper to use in the future. Ford had moved into his subterranean study awhile back so it wasn't much of a change for him. Another hour passed before Pacifica felt the room was sufficiently clean enough for her to inhabit the domicile. Soos and Dipper moved in all the furniture including Pacifica's bed, her wardrobe, a vanity, a desk, and a few shelves. They looked at it all and wondered how they got it into only two trucks. While the boys attended to the heavy lifting the girls occupied their time with the boxes of smalls and Pacifica's clothes.

Finally Pacifica was completely moved in. Her bed was in the corner right of the door next to it was a shelf then the built in wraparound couch. Next to that was her vanity and wardrobe in the same corner. Next to that, coming back toward the door, on the wall to the left was the other shelf next to the door that leads to the ensuite. Pacifica looked around the room. Yep she could call this home. Soos and Melody said their goodbyes and left. Dipper and Pacifica still standing in her new room looked around ' _Where is Mabel?_ ' They thought when all of a sudden a blur of brunette hair flew by them.

"Sleep over!" Mabel yelled landing on the couch with a pillow and a blanket.

Pacifica rolled her eyes. Mabel's endless depths of energy never ceased to amaze her.

Dipper shrugged and said, "Yeah why not."

He plopped himself down on Pacifica's bed.

"Oh and where am I supposed to sleep?"

"What? It's not like we haven't shared a bed before."

"Oooh." Mabel jeered.

"Shut up," Dipper said throwing a pillow at his sister.

The next morning Pacifica woke with her face nuzzled deeply into Dippers chest her head rested on his arm. She never wanted to get used to the feeling of being held by the one that she loves. Wanting more she tried to wiggle closer to Dipper. This caused the young man to readjust. When he did she noticed something. Her eyes grew big and her smile fell flat. Her eyes trailed down his left arm. Apparently during the night Dipper had unconsciously grabbed a hold of Pacifica's rump. She snaked her hand down his arm and repositioned his hand a couple inches higher. It's not that she didn't like it, but she felt it was best if she moved his hand before he woke up. She then wrapped her arms around his torso and waited for her boyfriend to wake up.


	13. The Future is Nigh

**A/N: I like writing the water spirit scenes. Its an interesting idea. I feel obligated to warn you that there is a rather saucy part in the middle of this chapter. I keep it PG-13. So you've been warned. Also in this chapter and the next few I write a couple of secret truths about college and institutes of higher education. So to all of you kiddos out there about to graduate high school pay attention. Enjoy.**

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Chapter 13

The Future is Nigh

Dipper and Pacifica's relationship was the talk of Gravity Falls by this point. Toby may have been right when calling them Gravity Falls' new power couple. Even though she wasn't receiving money from her parents anymore Pacifica had invested her money wisely and was now enjoys a very generous return on her investments. It was enough to pay her way in life and still enjoy luxuries. So she was the rich half of the power couple, and Dipper had just been accepted, pending his graduation, to a college in LA which is supposed to have a really good archaeology program. So she thought he could be the successful one. She giggled to herself thinking about it. Pacifica decided to apply for the art program at the same school since she wanted to do fashion design someday.

"You'll be the richest artist I've ever seen," Dipper teased her. She gave him a playful punch on the arm.

Dipper encouraged Pacifica to get her driver's license and helped teach her while he was in Gravity Falls. Even Mabel got in on the driving instructions. Pacifica passed the driving class and was rewarded with her permit before summer was over. She was smart so the test and class was a breeze, but the coordination of operating the vehicle didn't come naturally to her. Ford had promised to continue to help her after the twins left until she got enough driving hours in to get her license.

Alas summer had to come to a close and the couple having grown used to the other always being by their side took this school year particularly hard. Every time Pacifica found something interesting on the internet she turned to share it with Dipper only to be reminded that he was back in Piedmont. Dipper would find himself leaving an empty space on the couch for Pacifica to curl up next to him. He missed the warmth of her curled up resting on his side as they watched TV. It was a hard transition but the two eventually got used to it even though they didn't want to.

Pacifica applied to a few other colleges around the school Dipper was going just in case she didn't get accepted to the same school as her boyfriend. Pacifica also hoped that they could share an apartment or something if she went to school in the same town. Her efforts ended up being in vain because one day she received an acceptance letter from the school Dipper would be attending. Pacifica immediately called Dipper to share the good news.

"Hello," Dipper answered the phone.

"I got accepted!" Pacifica yelled spiritedly.

"Really? That's great I'm so proud of you!" Dipper expressed.

"I know," Pacifica agreed. Dipper rolled his eyes on the other end of the phone.

"I'll start looking for apartments," Pacifica enthused.

Dipper paused "Pacifica you're out of state. You have to stay in a dorm the first year."

Pacifica felt like she just received a punch in the gut.

"Well maybe we can share a dorm?" Pacifica suggested.

"Umm, Pacifica even though they have co-ed dorms that doesn't mean they let boys and girls stay in the same room."

Pacifica was out of ideas and feeling a little dejected.

Dipper decided to try and save the day by saying, "Look I know you really want to live with me, but you're just going to have to roll with the punches. On the bright side Mabel and I are going to get an apartment a couple blocks from the school so you'll basically just be sleeping in the dorms."

Pacifica's face lit up at this revelation.

"My roommate might really like me because she might just get the dorm all to herself," Pacifica added trying to be seductive and vague.

"As great as that sounds I don't want you paying for the room and not using it. We'll just see how it works out okay?"

"Okay," Pacifica pouted with her bottom lip stuck out as if he could see her.

The twins graduated a week before Pacifica. So they surprised her by attending her graduation. Dipper knew how much she liked a show so as soon as they called her name and she received her diploma he walked in and right up to her with the biggest bouquet of roses she had ever seen. The ceremony was derailed by this display. Girls in the audience aweing and some men gave the boy a great applause and whistled him on encouraging him. Pacifica was speechless. She couldn't believe this grand show Dipper had devised. Dipper was nervous he didn't like to be the center of attention but he knew Pacifica did so with the encouragement he received from the crowd he marched on. Dipper finally made it to the stage and handed Pacifica the roses. She was so touched, and he was so embarrassed. Dipper left his girlfriend so that the ceremony could continue. He gave a wave to all that were applauding him and returned to his sister's side.

After Pacifica's graduation party which was pretty nice. Soos was the DJ and just about everyone in Gravity Falls was invited. Stan charged admission of course but Dipper talked him out of the exit fee this time. Dipper and Pacifica relaxed in her room at the Mystery Shack.

"This is our last summer like this," Dipper said lamenting over passed summers.

"I haven't really thought about it," Pacifica said.

"I mean we'll still be together after this, but I think this maybe one of the last times we spend all summer in Gravity Falls."

Dipper was really saddened by the notion. Pacifica didn't understand his feeling but understood he was upset about it.

"We'll still come back and see everyone and stuff, and of course we'll still have each other," Pacifica said trying to comfort him.

Dipper looked up as he was lying on the couch with his head in Pacifica lap.

"As long as I have you I'll make it through anything," he said with a smile.

Pacifica's heart melted a little, and she bent down to kiss him. Dipper met her halfway. They repositioned themselves so it was easier to get at the other. Pacifica ran her fingers through Dipper's brown locks. Dipper picked Pacifica up and set her on his lap. Pacifica giggled at this new position and immediately returned to her boyfriend's face. She then grabbed for the hem of his shirt, and pulled it off. Dipper's lips traveled down her neck, and Pacifica moaned at the pleasurable sensation. Dipper moved back to Pacifica's lips snaking his hands under her shirt and removing it. Pacifica's hands explored his torso. Dipper started fumbling with her bra. Pacifica getting frustrated moved her hands back to release the clasp. As soon as it was free he tossed the garment across the room. Dipper deciding to take the action to the bed picked up Pacifica and carried her to the bed never once stopping their make out session. The bed bumped up against the wall making an audible bang. Up in the attic Mabel lay in her bed staring at the ceiling with a mortified look chiseled into her face ' _I don't want to hear this! I don't want to hear this! I don't want to hear this_!' she repeated in her head that night.

The next morning Mabel and Grunkle Stan sat in the kitchen sharing a pot of coffee neither looked like they got much sleep. Ford had just come up the elevator from his study.

"Morning everyone!"

Mabel and Stan gave him a grunt as acknowledgment. Ford raised an eyebrow but decided not to pursue. A minute later Dipper and Pacifica walked in glowing holding hands between them.

"Well looks like you two slept well," Ford commented.

Mabel and Stan shuddered.

Stan spoke his mind, "Look next time you two decide to go at it like wild animals wait till I'm dead okay. Too many more nights like that and it won't be long."

Mabel nodded in agreement. Pacifica and Dipper's eyes had gone wide and their faces both beat red at the realization that everyone had heard them last night. Ford just looked around at everyone confused.

Eventually Pacifica and Dipper's embarrassment subsided, and they continued on with their summer. They even went on a camping trip with Wendy and her new boyfriend. Neither Wendy's new boyfriend, Dipper, nor Pacifica had ever been camping the way Wendy went camping. She went to live off the land for a couple days like a savage. Knowing this Wendy opted for something a bit less primitive. She had fun hanging out on the double date camping trip. The caveman part of Dipper's mind didn't like this guy hugging up on Wendy but his evolved sophisticated part was far more dominant so he was able to cope. Plus he had Pacifica with him. The two couples enjoyed watching sunsets from high upon some of Gravity Falls' peaks and cooking outdoors. Dipper even finally made up a pet name for Pacifica. He decided on 'Cif' because it was an excerpt from her name and it also sounded like the name of the Norse goddess associated with Earth. Pacifica was fine with it once she knew it was the name of a goddess. Once the trip was over both couples seemed to feel a little closer with their respective significant other.

Toward the end of the summer Pacifica realized she hadn't been to see the water spirit in awhile.

"Dipper we need to pay someone a visit," Pacifica told Dipper at the breakfast table one morning.

"Who?" Dipper asked.

"The water spirit up in the cave. I'm sure she's lonely," Pacifica said feeling a little guilt for neglecting her.

Ford was sitting at the table and overheard this.

"Wait. She?" He asked.

Pacifica looked at him. "It's definitely a she."

Ford thought for a second. "The Greeks did always depict them as feminine."

"Which is why I think you two could never fully interact with her."

Dipper and Ford looked at her quizzically.

"Well men can be intimidating, which could explain why she never fully opened up to you. The first time I met her she was curious about the love and pain I had experienced, and as we came to an understanding she opened completely to me allowing me to use her power," Pacifica explained.

"That explains why you were able to revisit any memory you chose," Dipper rationalized.

Pacifica smiled with pride before adding, "Well we need to go back and see her she was interested in seeing you again last time I saw her."

"Alright we'll go," Dipper said.

Later that evening Pacifica and Dipper kneeled before the pool as Pacifica placed her hand inside the pool.

A minute passed before she said, "Put your hand in the pool too Dipper."

Her eyes still had that blind stare. Dipper placed his hand in the pool. The water moved around his hand. It was a comforting touch then Pacifica grabbed his hand and Dipper's mind expanded. It was like Dipper and Pacifica's minds were linked and the spirit showed them the memory from the night of Pacifica's graduation. There were a lot of good emotions attached to it, but it was different. Not like either of them remembered it because they weren't experiencing it from one perspective but two. They could feel what they felt and what the other had felt. It was an experience on a whole different level. Everything was intensified. The spirit started to let go and soon the two were back in the cave. They both looked at each other overwhelmed by what they had just experienced their eyes full of emotional tears. They hugged each other because they truly understood what they meant to the other now.

Pacifica and Dipper said it at the same time, "I love you."

They have been dating for five years and they finally said it because they didn't feel like they loved each other anymore. Now they knew it.

Summer now drawing to a close it was time Mabel and Dipper moved into their apartment across from campus and Pacifica was all too happy to help. She even brought her stuff so she wouldn't have to bring it all down from Oregon later. Once they were settled in good it was almost freshman week at college and soon it would be time to move Pacifica into her dorm, and for all three to attend orientation.


	14. Love the One You've Got

**A/N: More secret college information, and yes its true.**

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Chapter 14

Love the One You've Got

Pacifica gave living in her dorm room a shot. Her roommate was of a different breed from her. She liked dubstep and all things Japan. Pacifica didn't mind dubstep but only at a party, and her dorm room was not a party. She understood liking another country's culture, after all she was raised to like a lot of French things, but the Japanese are into really weird things not fancy interior design and fashion like the French. She was definitely out of her comfort zone.

"Please Dipper let me stay here with you more often." Pacifica begged her boyfriend.

Dipper laughed. "Okay Cif I'm going to let you in on a little secret." Pacifica looked at him oddly as Dipper continued, "Institutes of higher education try to make freshman life hard. It weeds out the weak, and if you don't live in your dorm they can put you on academic probation if they so choose."

"So they purposefully roomed me with someone I don't like?" Pacifica asked trying to gain a little clarification.

"Sort of. They hire people to assess all the freshman who have to live in the dorms and match them to people that they think will be a challenge to get along with. A university wants to take you out of your comfort zone in order to make you a more well rounded individual. That's why I won't let you stay here every night," Dipper explained.

Pacifica felt insulted. "Oh so you think I'm not well rounded huh?" Pacifica accused.

"I don't think he said that," Mabel said reading a magazine on the other side of the living room.

"No. I think everybody could be more rounded especially myself. I want you to be the best that you can be and I don't want them kicking you out because you refused to stay in your dorm."

"Humph," Pacifica pouted.

Dipper sighed starting to get a little frustrated. He reached out grabbed her wrist and guided her to sit in his lap.

"How about this, why don't Mabel and I come over and met her this weekend? Maybe invite her to hang out?"

Pacifica gave it a thought. "Fine I'll give your way a shot," she conceded.

Saturday morning Pacifica got up and walked to Dipper and Mabel's apartment. She knocked on the door, and Dipper answered. They greeted each other with a simple kiss.

"Are you and Mabel ready to meet my roommate?" Pacifica asked.

"Mabel is getting dressed she should be out in a minute," Dipper explained.

"So what do you know about this girl?" He asked.

"Well she snores, she likes dubstep,"

"Which should only be played in a club," Dipper said in unison with Pacifica.

"And she's totally obsessed with Japan." Pacifica said feeling a bit flustered.

"What about where she comes from, or what walk of life she comes from?"

Pacifica pondered the floor. "See you don't know anything personal about her." Dipper pointed out.

"I'm not like I used to be I'm a lot more tolerant of people now," Pacifica defended herself.

Dipper trying to console his girlfriend said, "I know. That's why we're going to try and help."

"That's what boyfriends and bestfriends do!" Mabel said entering the room.

Pacifica smiled. "Thanks guys."

Mabel, Dipper, and Pacifica left the apartment and Dipper drove them to campus. Pacifica got them in the dorms and showed them up to her room.

"You guys ready?" Pacifica asked.

"Are you?" Dipper asked slightly annoyed at Pacifica's projecting.

Pacifica opened the door. "Hey Liz."

The girl turned around from her laptop.

"This is my boyfriend Dipper and his twin sister Mabel who is also my best friend."

"Konnichiwa." Liz said greeting them.

"Sorry I don't speak Italian," Mabel said.

Liz laughed. Dipper literal facepalmed.

"You're funny," Liz declared.

"You would think that, but she was being serious," Dipper explained shaking her hand.

Mabel was looking at all of Liz's knick-knacks of Japanese origin. "Wow you got a lot of cool stuff," Mabel said

"Thanks they're all imported," Liz explained to Mabel.

"At least someone is getting along," Pacifica said quietly.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "So Liz where do you come from?" Dipper asked.

"Lake Tahoe," She answered.

"Oh wow! How are you acclimatizing to being down here in the desert?" Dipper asked.

"Well it's weird breathing all this oxygen down here almost a sea level, and this heat man it's brutal, but the worst is the smell. The air down here just smells rotten," Liz said with her nose wrinkled.

"I know right back in Gravity Falls the air was always so fresh with the smell of pine," Pacifica said.

Dipper smiled looking back at Pacifica. "See?" He said. Pacifica rolled her eyes at him.

"What?" Liz asked not wanting to be left out.

"Cif was worried she wasn't getting along with you so I suggested this little get together to try and help."

"Well I'll admit we don't have much common ground," Liz said to Pacifica.

Dipper decided to tell Liz about Pacifica some. "Cif used to be really mean and snobby, and then she met me."

"And me!" Mabel shouted happily.

"Actually we didn't like each other at all at first, but one thing led to another and now we can't imagine life without each other," Dipper finished.

"Why was she snobby and mean?" Liz asked.

"Well I grew up with really arrogant parents who believed that everything was about being a Northwest and the only thing that mattered was the family name and our wealth," Pacifica answered for herself.

Liz smiled at having her suspicions confirmed. "I thought you were a rich little princess," she said.

"Well what about you? You're from Lake Tahoe. I thought everyone from out there was rich," Dipper asked.

"Well yeah but I'm not anyone's princess," Liz said.

"Well neither am I," Pacifica said defending herself.

Dipper becoming frustrated with the hostility between the two girls. "Pacifica was emancipated when she was sixteen." Dipper explained trying to quench the hostile environment.

"Why?" Liz questioned curiously.

"Because I didn't like the way my parents treated me okay?" Pacifica interjected obviously not wanting to talk about it.

Liz took the hint. "Dipper isn't it about time we got going?" Pacifica asked.

"Yeah I guess it is," Dipper agreed.

"Come on Mabel let's go," Dipper ushered his sister.

"It was nice to meet you," Mabel said to Liz on her hey out.

"Sayounara," Liz said to the girl. Mabel laughed.

"Well that could have gone better," Dipper said to Pacifica.

"Told you," The three left the dorms and went back to the twin's apartment.

"Okay only on the weekends, or special circumstances during the week," Dipper said to Pacifica as they walked in the door of the apartment.

Pacifica was going to take what she could get. "Thank you," She said.

"I don't see what your problem is with her," Mabel said before adding, "She seemed cool to me."

"You think everybody it cool," Dipper pointed out.

"That doesn't make it not true," Mabel responded.

"Well if you want to be her friend have at it," Pacifica said giving her blessing to Mabel.

"She seems not to like rich people. Probably resents her parents too. Something else you have in common," Dipper tried rationalizing.

"Except Pacifica actually likes being rich," Mabel pointed out.

Dipper switched on the TV. "Let's watch a movie and forget about it."

"Snuggle time!" Pacifica cheered cuddling up on Dipper as he sat down on the couch.

"Oh I've got the perfect one," Mabel said running into her room.

"Nothing with unicorns!" Dipper yelled.

"Unicorns are losers," Mabel shouted back.

"Oh yeah," Dipper said remembering Mabel's experience with Unicorns.


	15. Happiness is to Enjoy the Present

**A/N: Don't be afraid to leave a review. If you haven't seen the art style in which I talk about go youtube it. It's really cool.**

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Chapter 15

Happiness is to Enjoy the Present

Dipper had become stressed with a few of his classes. He wasn't used the amount of work that was required of him. He had research papers in his sociology class, essays to write in freshman comp, and his college algebra class wasn't hard but it required a lot of busy work. Meanwhile Pacifica and Mabel, being in the same field of study, had freshman composition and college algebra together with Dipper. They also shared biology and their art class with each other. The two friends enjoyed their art class and struggled with biology getting help from dipper every once in awhile when he had a little spare time. Dipper was in his room writing a research paper for sociology on the cultural significance of cats in ancient Egypt while Pacifica was using his bed as a surface to complete an art project. She had to fill an 18"X24" sheet out of her drawing pad with an art piece colored in any way of her choosing. Dipper paused in frustration and noticed his girlfriend out of the corner of his eye. She was happily sketching out the larger details of her drawing. He then returned to work. Pacifica had immersed herself into her craft. She was focused and her hand followed her mental image perfectly.

As she added the last detail she stood back and declared, "Done."

Dipper finished typing the sentence he was writing before he got up and moved over to examine his girlfriend's work.

"I don't know much about art but are you sure?" He asked.

Pacifica didn't take offence to his question.

"It's not finished. I still have to color it," she explained.

Pacifica turned to go get her coloring utensils. After about a minute she still hadn't returned so he decided to continue with his research paper. Pacifica returned eventually and grabbed her drawing and left. Dipper hardly noticed.

Dipper's concentration was broken by shouts and giggles originating from the kitchen. He got up to investigate. He was confused to find Pacifica holding a clothes iron over her drawing. He moved closer to investigate further. Mabel was standing watching giving her best friend any help she needed.

"What's going on?" Dipper questioned.

Pacifica needed to concentrate on what she was doing far too much to answer him.

"Paz is using a clothes iron to melt wax to the bottom and coloring her drawing with. It's the coolest thing ever!" Mabel explained ecstatically.

Dipper stood and watched Pacifica move from one color to the next using a dry towel to wipe the color off each time. He was amazed he had never seen such beautiful work. The way the colors looked like they were three dimensional was terrific. He then studied Pacifica as she worked. The concentration on her face, the way she moved in order to manipulate the wax so it didn't bleed into the wrong section, but no matter how hard it seemed her work was she always appeared to be happy. Dipper looked back at his computer his writing sitting on the screen with the cursor blinking. Maybe he should take a similar approach to all the work he had. He had forgotten that he was doing something he was honestly passionate about, but it all just seemed like busy work. He decided to stay and watch his girlfriend finish her art.

Once Pacifica was finished she stood back to take her work in. Dipper came up behind her and placed his arm over her shoulders.

"It looks rather beautiful," he said.

Pacifica smiled with pride. "The colors are as vibrant as a wax pastel but without the unevenness of drawing with one," she explained.

"Oh. Yeah your artwork is magnificent too," he added.

"I'm sweating, my makeup is running, and my hands are covered in wax and burns," she explained.

"You're always beautiful to me," he said bluntly.

Pacifica just smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Wait a minute is that us?" Dipper asked shocked. It was the first time that he really looked at the subject matter. It was a beautiful blonde woman wearing a frost blue ball gown dancing with a man with brown fluffy hair in a three piece suit with matching colors.

"It sure is," Pacifica said smiling.

Mabel was running around their kitchen table examining the art. "How am I supposed to out do this?" She exclaimed.

Mabel thought momentarily.

"Glitter," she whispered to herself.

Mabel took off back to her room to continue working on her art project.

"I need to finish my work before tomorrow too," Dipper said going back to his room. ' _Enjoy the moment,_ ' he told himself as he got back to work.


	16. Temporary Fun with Permanent Conseque

**A/N: Another college secret. Frat boys really are** **douc— I mean** **perfectly fine gentleman. Giving a shout out to Viceroy Elf for this one. Go read The Drink by Viceroy Elf.**

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Chapter 16

Temporary Fun with Permanent Consequences

It was another typical week at college. Pacifica was going to check her dorm mail box. The typical adds her cell phone bill, and oddly an invitation to a party. ' _Come to the biggest campus party of the year. B.Y.O.B._ ' it said with a location at the bottom. Pacifica went back to her dorm.

"Did you get one of these?" she asked Liz holding up the card.

"Yeah everyone got one. It's supposed to be a yearly thing where the upper-classmen throw a party for everyone to celebrate the end of first semester midterms," she explained.

Pacifica and Liz had warmed up to each other to the point of being able to have a civil conversation.

"Are you going?" Pacifica asked her roommate.

"No way. That's just trouble waiting to happen."

Pacifica wasn't convinced. ' _If it's a yearly thing then it mustn't be too crazy._ ' She thought.

After classes Pacifica went over to Dipper and Mabel's like usual. The three are sitting around eating a dish Mabel had cooked. "Have you heard of that party some upper-classmen are throwing?" She asked the two sitting at the table with her. Dipper shook his head oblivious to any kind of social get together. Mabel's look began to glow a little.

"Yeah it's supposed to be huge. Everyone in school is invited anyone can show," she explained.

"How can they have a facility that big?" Dipper asked.

"I heard there was an old warehouse that some guy donated to one of the fraternities for just such an occasion," Mabel gossiped. Dipper really didn't like the sound of it.

"I think we should go," Pacifica said.

Dipper almost choked on his food before protesting, "Cif you can't be serious. A bunch of people drunk most of which are underage. It's a volatile situation," Pacifica thought for a second.

"Look you don't have to drink, but I think you need to socialize more anyways. What about you Mabel are you in?" Mabel smiled.

"If you're going I'm going." They both looked at Dipper knowing they had him cornered.

Dipper thought about it. "I'm not thrilled about it, but I can't let you two go by yourselves," the two girls were thrilled that Dipper had agreed. ' _I'm going to regret this._ ' Dipper thought to himself.

The night of the party Pacifica had come over to make sure Dipper dressed in something stylish. Mabel came out into the living area.

"I'm so excited Paz. This is going to fun," she enthused with her best friend. Dipper exited his room. He was wearing a pair of nice jeans with a button down untucked and loosely buttoned at the top of his chest. He wore a pair of running shoes and a watch Pacifica bought for him a year or two back, and no hat.

"Ta-da," he said posing for his girlfriend. Pacifica laughed and kissed him.

"You look great," she said. Dipper looked at what Pacifica was wearing. A pair of jeans, boots with a slight heel raising her up to about even with him, a black strapless top, and a purple short sleeve jacket over it.

"You look pretty good yourself," he said.

"Come on you two let's go!" Mabel said energetically.

The three piled into Dipper's truck and drove to the location printed on the invitation. The GPS finally announced their arrival. They all looked up to see that it was indeed an abandoned warehouse just like Mabel had said. They got out and approached the door where a guy sat on a stool under a light.

"Student IDs," he demanded.

They each produced an ID. The man looked them over quickly and opened the door handing the IDs back to the group. Pacifica, Dipper, and Mabel entered the building there was very loud music coming from the stage where a DJ was performing some kind of dance trying to get the crowed to join in. The group was greeted by a guy.

"You fish?" he asked.

"What about it?" Dipper came back sounding a little defensive.

"Woah. Take it easy bro. You came here with two girls. That puts you in like the top ten percent of cool guys here. I just wanted to welcome you. I'm part of Phi Kappa Mu Mu. We throw this party kind of to congratulate the fish who have made it this long." The guy explained.

"Oh… Well thanks for throwing the party. I guess. This is my twin sister Mabel," Dipper said grabbing Mabel by the back of the neck giving her a shake.

She waved and said, "Hi."

"And this is my girlfriend Pacific," he said gesturing to the girl wrapped around his arm, "And I'm Dipper."

Something seemed off about this guy, but there was no need for alarm. Maybe he was really just that friendly.

"Nice to meet all of you, Enjoy the party," the guy said leaving them to enjoy the party.

The group walked around the building finding a fairly quiet place with a bunch of tables with people talking. They found an empty table and sat down.

"What do you think so far?" Pacifica asked.

Mabel was excited for her first college party. "I'm ready to make that dance floor mine," she said.

"What about you?" Pacifica asked Dipper.

Dipper surveyed the party. "Something feels off."

Pacifica wasn't in the mood for Dipper's mystery obsessions. "No. Don't do that. Not tonight," she said wanting him to just relax and socialize.

"Fine I'll keep it to myself."

Pacifica would have to take what she could get.

"I've got a date with the dance floor," Mabel said getting up and leaving the two.

Pacifica found a guy serving drinks. She went and got a couple and brought them back. Dipper looked at it.

"It's just Pitt cola," Pacifica said "The guy said the booze was up to us."

Dipper seemed satisfied and drank the cola. Pacifica and Dipper sat at the table people watching for a while. A few classmates stopped and chatted a while, but eventually moved on. Pacifica was relieved that Dipper was actually enjoying himself. After a while she spotted Mabel on the dance floor tearing it up.

"I'm going to join Mabel," Pacifica said getting up and taking off toward her friend.

Dipper waved her off. Not even a minute later four guys approached Dipper's table, and one sat down. It was the guy who greeted them.

"I've had my eye on you," he said.

Dipper not sure where this was going asked, "Why?"

"You got my attention at the door, and I've seen you looking around trying to figure this place out. Well you're right this party isn't what it seems to be," Dippers curiosity was officially peaked. "You see this is the last test for our pledges. They bring two girls one for themselves and one for anyone else. Then one of the upper-classmen test them to see if their man enough."

Dipper realized this was just a party they use to get with freshman girls. "You stay away from Mabel and Pacifica," Dipper said standing up with a fire in his eyes.

"Woah. Sit down bro. I've got mad respect for you. You see I was supposed to test a pledge tonight but he's a no show. But then there's you. You've incidentally completed part of the test, and you caught my eye. I like your spirit kid," Dipper sat back down, and the frat boy continued. "So look I'm going to test you instead."

He produced an unopened bottle of silver rum. One of the other frat boys placed two shot glasses on the table.

"Given you're a fish I don't expect you to beat me this is just about proving to me that you're man enough for that girlfriend of yours.

"You're wrong if you think I'll bet my relationship with Pacifica on anything," Dipper said with a subdued anger in his voice.

"I've told you what this is about."

Dipper smelt something fishy, but his pride was on the line and a man's pride will make him do stupid things.

"Fine," Dipper said accepting the challenge.

The frat boy smiled and the others celebrated. "Good," The frat boy said.

One man grabbed the bottle and poured two shots. "I'll go first," the frat boy said taking his shot. He took his shot and turned his glass upside down. Dipper followed his example and did the same. The alcohol was bitter it made his face wrinkle, but after a second he could taste the flavors and notes of the rum. It wasn't too terrible but he wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep this up. Shot after shot was drank first the frat boy then himself. Dipper's head had started to feel light. He knew the room was about to start spinning. His heart raced with fear at the thought. Dipper didn't do too well with dizziness. The frat boy took another shot. Dipper reached out for his glass. He held it for a second trying to get a hold of his mental faculties. He looked at the bottle ' _quarter empty,_ ' he thought. Then he noticed the frat boy was holding the edge of the table. He smiled to himself. He decided to up his pace. He downed the shot and slammed it onto the table upside down. This went on for a little longer. Dipper thought if he went faster the frat boy would lose. It didn't work out quite that well. Dipper's head started to spin and he was now holding onto the table himself. Trying to keep from falling out of his chair, but he couldn't hold on. His head hit the table. Everyone cheered around them. Apparently they had drawn a rather large crowd. The frat boy had won, and what little mental faculty Dipper had, that wasn't focused on keeping him from hitting the floor knew he had lost. The frat boy stood up and staggered a little clearly drunk as well. He offered Dipper his hand.

"If you want to join here is your invitation."

Dipper was pretty mad the alcohol playing with his brain chemistry. Dipper remembered what the party was really for again. He got a fire in his gut and slapped the guys hand away.

"Fine. Be that way," the frat boy said and walked away.

The crowd cheering when Dipper's head hit the table had gotten both Pacifica and Mabel's attention. They looked at the source of the noise. It was the table Pacifica had left Dipper at so she went to investigate and Mabel followed. By the time they got there everything was over. They found Dipper sitting in his chair staring at the ground a few feet in front of him like a zombie.

"Dipper what happened?" Mabel asked. Dipper just sat there.

"Dipper?" Pacifica said trying to get his attention.

Dipper jumped slightly at the sound of Pacificas voice and looked up. "Oh hey Cif. When did you get here?" He asked with a slight slur.

Mabel knelt down next to her brother concerned. "Pacifica I think he's drunk," Mabel said.

Pacifica sighed. ' _Well I did want him to socialize,_ ' she thought. Dipper returned to zombie mode.

"Alright I'm going to get him some water. Mabel you stay here with him."

Mabel nodded in acknowledgment of the plan. Pacifica went to the guy handing out drinks and asked for some water. She noticed it got darker around her. She looked up to see the frat boy that greeted them at the door and a few of his friends. He reeked of alcohol like Dipper.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Well seeing as your boyfriend isn't man enough why don't you come home with me instead," he replied.

"Eww. As if I would be caught dead with you," she said trying to get him to go away.

"Ahhh come on you could do way better than that nerd."

Dipper had noticed the guys around Pacifica. His back straightened and he became focused on them. Mabel followed his gaze and got a nervous look on her face. Dipper saw a hand move and pat Pacifica on the butt. Dipper stood up so fast his chair flipped over backward. He sobered up enough to march over to where the group of guys was hitting on Pacifica.

"Come on baby I'll turn you into a woman," the guy said when he felt someone tap on his shoulder.

He turned around to see Dipper holding a deck of cards. "Hey bud, want to see a magic trick?" He asked fanning the deck. "Go ahead pick a card."

The frat boy just stood frozen trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

"Okay then, I'll pick one for you," Dipper said.

He grabbed a card and showed it to the guy. "Remember it," he said shuffling the deck.

Dipper then produced a card "Is this your card?" The guy still frozen just looked at it.

"No? Okay then we don't need it," Dipper threw the card in the guys face and it exploded.

This made everyone jump the frat boy would have fallen over if it weren't for him being up against the bar.

Dipper produced another card "How about this one?" he waited for a second "Nope? Okay well we don't need it either," he threw it in the guys face and it exploded as well.

"How about this one? No?" Poof the card exploded. "Or this one?" Poof the card exploded in the frat boys face too. "Huh. Guess it's not in here."

Dipper threw the entire deck which rattled, popped, and whizzed as it exploded into many bright colors. Dipper then took an extremely offensive stance as if he wanted to throw down with this guy. The frat boy just stood there frozen in fear. Pacifica was in awe of the magic trick, but once Dipper was done she saw her opportunity. She grabbed Dipper by the wrist and ran for the door Mabel followed in hot pursuit of the couple. Mabel fished Dipper's keys out of his pocket as they ran and she unlocked the truck. Mabel jumped into the driver's seat and Pacifica pulled Dipper in with her as she moved toward the middle seat. Mabel took off, the passenger door slammed close with the force of acceleration.

After driving for a couple minutes Mabel finally broke the silence.

"Okay that was one of the coolest things ever."

Pacifica finally letting go of all her tension exhaled a laugh. She turned to look at Dipper, who was back in zombie mode.

"Well it certainly was the hottest thing I've ever seen," Pacifica said.

"Ewww. TMI Paz," Mabel teased.

"Well I was just saved by my boyfriend," Pacifica defended.

The girls shared a laugh. Pacifica wrapped an arm around Dipper's and interlocked their fingers and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you," Dipper whispered.

Pacifica raised her head to look at Dipper. She saw a single tear roll down his face.

She kissed it and whispered back to him, "I love you too."

The next morning Pacifica woke to find herself in the embrace of her boyfriend. She smiled remembering last night and his heroics. Then her nose was assaulted by the smell of his alcohol morning breath. She wrinkled her nose and got up figuring it would be hours before her poor boyfriend woke up. She went into the kitchen still dressed in her pajamas. A silk spaghetti strap top with matching short shorts, and fixed a full pot of coffee. While the coffee was brewing she found a bucket, **(A/N Remember this kids it's real magic)** some baking soda, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and some dish detergent. And mixed them all together in the bucket and placed it at the foot of Dipper's bed. Mabel had been woken up by the smell of coffee, and was now sitting at the table rubbing her eyes.

"How's Dipper?" she asked Pacifica.

"Stinky and sleeping."

She went to the cabinet were they kept all their medicine, and found a bottle of aspirin. She shook two out and filled a large bottle with water and went back into Dipper's room to set them on his night stand. She looked around for a pen and paper and wrote a note ' _For my hero,_ ' she placed it next to the water and pills. Pacifica returned to the kitchen coffee was now done and Mabel was fixing her a cup.

"You're such a good girlfriend," Mabel told Pacifica.

"He would do the same for me," she said modestly.

About an hour later the girls, who were sitting around the kitchen table talking about last night, thought they heard a noise come from Dippers room followed by the sound of someone regurgitating last night's stomach contents. A couple minutes later Dipper emerged holding the note and drinking the entire bottle of water in one go.

"Morning stud!" Mabel said rather loudly to tease her brother while referencing what he did last night.

Dipper cringed from the noise and shielded his eyes from the morning sun. "Not so loud," he whispered.

Pacifica got up and closed the curtains.

"Thanks," he said to his girlfriend.

He walked over to the table and sat down. Mabel got up and fixed him some coffee.

Dipper laid the note down. "What happened last night?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"What do you remember?" Pacifica asked in a soft voice.

Dipper strained to remember. "I remember watching you and Mabel dancing" he rubbed his temples trying to stop his head from hurting so much. "Then I remember that frat boy coming over to talk," Dipper finished.

Mabel returned with his cup of coffee.

"Well we're pretty sure he goaded you into a drinking challenge with him or something," Pacifica told him.

Dipper took a sip of his coffee. "And why am I your hero?" he asked pointing to the note.

"Well we heard loud cheers coming from your table and we decided to go investigate. Once we got over to you, you were just sitting there like a zombie," Mabel explained.

"And I went to go get you some water, and those guys started to hit on me," Pacifica added.

"Then you perked up and had this super serious face on. Then one of those guys grabbed Pacifica's butt and you lost it. I was honestly scared," Mabel continued.

"Then you did some kind of cool magic trick with cards and explosions," Pacifica enthused.

"Those guys were so scared of you Dipper. It was really cool," Mabel finished.

Dipper smiled wishing he could remember it. He did sound pretty cool. "It wasn't a trick," Dipper revealed. "It was real."

He folded the note into a small square and tossed it into the air, and it burst into flames landing back on the table. All that was left was the small part that said ' _For my hero._ ' Pacifica and Mabel looked on in awe.

"But how!?" Pacifica asked in amazement.

"One of Ford's journals explains pyrokinesis. I've been practicing," The three laughed. Dipper groaned in pain from doing so.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Pacifica said moving to take her boyfriend to the shower while Mabel got up and started breakfast.


	17. Expectancy is the Atmosphere for Mira

Chapter 17

Expectancy is the Atmosphere for Miracles

The fall semester came to pass, and Christmas break was upon Dipper and Pacifica.

"I can't wait for Christmas break!" Mabel exclaimed.

A slight smile graced Dippers face as he watched Mabel enthuse about all the things she liked about Christmas.

"I don't know what I'm going to do for Christmas." Pacifica said sounding down.

She had spent her first Christmas as an adult at the Mystery Shack, and even though she lived there and was always welcome it didn't feel like home to her. As a matter-of-fact she hadn't felt like she had a real home since she was emancipated.

Dipper could hear the sadness in her voice. "I know exactly what you are doing for Christmas" he said. Pacifica looked up at her boyfriend quizzically. "You're going to go home with us, and spend Christmas with the Pines family," Dipper explained.

"As much as I would love that I couldn't. Dipper Christmas is meant to be spent with family."

"Cif, you know how much my family means to me, but there isn't anyone I would rather spend Christmas with then you," Pacifica's heart melted.

The two stared deeply into each other's eyes. "Then it's decided," Dipper said content with the outcome.

"Ahh, amore," Mabel said the couple looked at her with a phony annoyed look.

"I've been learning Italian so I can talk to Liz in secret," Mabel said proud of herself.

Pacifica stood up to leave in order to start packing for Christmas at the Pines family house when she turned to Mabel. "She speaks Japanese goofball," with that Pacifica left, and Dipper waved goodbye to his love.

The twin's parents were pleasantly surprised to see Pacifica arrive at their home at the beginning of Christmas break. Dipper and Mabel grabbed all their stuff they had brought home for the holidays and joined them in the house.

"So Pacifica dear how have you been?" Mrs. Pines asked.

"Well it's been rough," Pacifica said pausing, "Getting used to living someplace so different from home isn't easy. I haven't really even felt like I've had a home since I was emancipated, but every time I feel home sick I find Dipper there to comfort me," She said looking over her shoulder at Dipper picking on Mabel. "He really is the light of my life," she concluded.

Mrs. Pines understood how much her son meant to this young lady. "Home is where you decide to hang your heart." Mrs. Pines told the girl. Pacifica looked at her a little confused. Mrs. Pines began to explain, "Maybe home isn't so much a place as it is a person," she said gesturing toward her son.

Pacifica had never thought about it that way. Whenever she was around Dipper or even Mabel she felt comfortable like she did when she felt like she had a home. Tears came to Pacifica's eyes at the realization. She moved closer to the woman and gave her a hug. "Thank you Mrs. Pines I needed that," She told the women.

Christmas break progressed and Pacifica found great happiness experiencing the holiday with the Pines' she had never been treated with so much love and respect. On Christmas Eve the whole family had gathered in the living room to just reminisce. Pacifica was cuddled into Dipper in her normal fashion while Mr. and Mrs. Pines told embarrassing stories. She giggled and Dipper groaned, but the two were happy. Pacifica stood up. She felt like she needed to express her gratitude to the Pines.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pines You've treated me like your own daughter over the holidays and I can't tell you how much that means to me. I've never really felt this loved by a group of people before and I would just like to thank you for making me feel like family."

"Well maybe you can be," Dipper said getting off the couch and down on one knee. He produced a small square blue box from his pocket. A gasp came from all members present aside from Dipper himself. "Pacifica. I've known you for seven years, and I've been dating you for six of those. We've been through thick and thin together and through those moments we have confirmed our love for each other," Pacifica was absolutely jittery waiting for him to finish his speech and ask the question. "Would you marry me?"

"Yes!" Was Pacifica's immediate reply.

Mrs. Pines thought very highly of Pacifica. She thought she was a strong woman who would stand up for herself and get what she wanted, yet kind, courteous, and thoughtful. She was sobbing happily while holding on to her husband, and in that moment she couldn't be prouder of her son and happier for her future daughter-in-law. Mr. Pines was also proud of his son. Looking back at how Dipper was as a boy he never thought that he would grow up to be such a man. ' _Guess he has more Pines in him than I thought,_ ' Mabel was uncharacteristically still together usually she would be fawning over the scene, but not this time. This time she held her phone and filmed the whole display so that they could relive the moment forever, and that meant she would be able to gush over the moment again and again. Dipper had moved from one knee to place the ring on her finger. Surprise it didn't quite fit. Pacifica laughed at the scenario through her tears of joy and happiness.

"Don't worry we can get it resized," she informed Dipper.

Dipper moved in to kiss his new fiancée. The two parted and Pacifica went to studding her ring. It was a silver band with four stones set into a twisting setting.

"Each stone has a meaning," Dipper explained. He pointed to the first. "Amethyst: which represents you," His finger moved to the second and third which were wrapped around each other like a ying-yang. "Rose Quartz and Diamond, to represent our love for each other balanced," lastly he pointed to the last stone. "And Sapphire, to represent me," Pacifica loved it. She knew it wasn't very big but she knew a custom ring like this would have cost Dipper a small fortune.

"How could you ever afford this?" she asked.

Dipper got a smug look and said, "Well I heard there was a man having a ghost problem back In LA and I went to bust his ghost just for fun. Turns out his daughter was possessed. After I dispersed the spirit he said he would do anything to repay me, and informed me he was a jeweler and gem cutter. So I ran my idea for the ring by him. He loved the idea and decided to do it gratis," Dipper explained. Pacifica just shook her head amazed and gave him another kiss.

With the holiday break coming to an end. All the young college students started to pack their things and got ready to move back to LA. As soon as Dipper had finished packing the truck the three college students met up with Mr. and Mrs. Pines to say their goodbyes.

"Bye mom, dad, I'll miss you guys," Mabel said giving her mother and father a hug.

"We'll miss you to dear." They said.

Up next was Dipper and Pacifica. "Son, you gave your mother and me the greatest Christmas present we could have wished for this year," Mr. Pines said gesturing toward his son's new fiancée.

Pacifica blushed a little. Dipper smiled and wrapped his arm around Pacifica to give her a soft squeeze. "I had selfish reasons," he jested. The couple then wished the two Pines parents goodbye and headed back to LA.

The ride was rather quiet except for when Babba came on the radio. Eventually they heard the recording of Dipper's proposal being played again.

"Wow you guys!" Mabel exclaimed. "Your proposal is up to a thousand hits.

"You uploaded it to the internet?" Dipper asked.

"Pssh, heck yeah I did. It was hands down the most moving thing I've ever experienced."

Pacifica watched the video again. "How did you know to start recording when I got up to make my speech?" The newly engaged girl asked.

"Well I didn't. I just had a feeling that whatever you were going to say was going to be special. Then Dipper dropped a bomb on us all,"

Dipper smiled and sat up a little straighter proud of himself.


	18. Big Things Generally have Small Begin

**A/N: I'm not a fan of this chapter. I don't know why I just never liked it.**

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Chapter 18

Big Things Generally have Small Beginnings

Spring had come and the three college students had gotten back into their studies. Dipper was taking as many classes as he could with Mabel and Pacifica, aside from their art classes and his classes that went toward his archaeology degree. Luckily he didn't have as many labor intensive classes having the worst of the freshman classes out of the way. Pacifica and Mabel were also enjoying this luxury. Life went on as it does, and slowly Pacifica had started keeping half of her stuff at Dipper and Mabel's apartment. Dipper had cleared a space in his closet for her to keep some clothes and a drawer for her to leave makeup, jewelry, and her unmentionables. She was touched by this gesture. It meant a lot to her that Dipper would make room in his life so easily to accommodate her. One day Dipper received two very nice envelopes. One addressed to Dipper Pines, the other addressed to Mabel Pines. He raised an eyebrow and sat down at the kitchen table. He opened the one addressed to himself, and read ' _You have been invited to the wedding of Jesus and Melody_ ' He smiled and looked at the rest of the invitation it was nice. Dipper knew Soos couldn't afford fancy expensive wedding invitations, but they had the personality of the couple in them nonetheless. Inside was a note that was handwritten by Soos. ' _Dude I want you to be my best man. Melody said Mabel can be a bridesmaid if she wants. I need and answer quick,_ ' Dipper was touched.

"Mabel you've got an invitation!" Dipper yelled to his sister. She came running immediately.

"To what?" She asked. Dipper tossed her the envelope. "Whoa, bro I was kind of expecting it to burst into flames." Dipper rolled his eyes. Mabel opened it and exclaimed, "Finally I thought they were going to stay engaged forever!"

Dipper looked down at the engagement band on his finger Pacifica had gotten him. He thought of the message carved on the inside. ' _Mine P.N._ ' he gave a small chuckle wondering how long would he and Pacifica be engaged before they got married.

"Wow they sure sent these out early." Mabel said looking at the date.

Dipper gave her the note. "You, me, and whoever Melody has being her maid of honor are probably the only ones who got one already."

Mabel read the note. "Oh my gosh! Bridesmaid!" Mabel exclaimed.

Dipper chuckled, pulled out his phone, and called Soos to tell him they were game.

"That's great dudes. I'm so nervous, about it though. Melody said that you guys need to come up her the week before the wedding so we can all go for our fittings."

"Don't worry Soos. We'll be there," Dipper assured him.

The weekend before the wedding Dipper, Mabel, and Pacifica got up early and drove into Gravity Falls. The drive was long and they drove in shifts in order to make it on time. Finally in Gravity Falls Soos, Dipper, and Soos' cousin Reggie all went into town, got fitted for their rented suits, and threw a little bachelor party for Soos. It wasn't much basically some food, and then the group sat around and told stories.

Melody, her best friend Telah, and Mabel went to pick out a wedding dress and the bridesmaid's dresses. The dress Melody picked out for herself was strapless and showed off her womanly figure well. The train poofed out at her hips and came down to a modest length. Mabel thought it was simple yet beautiful she liked it. Then it was on to the bridesmaid's dresses. Luckily the wedding colors were white and teal. Mabel thought she looked good in teal. Eventually they picked a dress that both her an Telah liked. A form fitting teal dress with one shoulder covered the other exposed, and it ended about knee height; again modest yet beautiful. Afterwards they had a little bachelorette party for Melody.

Pacifica was left alone to do whatever she wanted. It was the first time she had been home since right before college. It felt strange almost, but the familiarity of the place was comforting. Unfortunately all her friends from Gravity Falls, both new and old, were away at college so she had the town to keep her company. Pacifica walked around town a while revisiting her old haunts such as the mall and a of couple stores. She eventually got bored. Then she remembered one friend that wasn't gone. She ran through the forest to the spot of the cave where the water spirit resided.

She eventually laid eyes on the cave entrance. It still looked like she was the only one who really knew about the spot. She went inside and placed her hand in the pool. The cool familiar touch of the spirit wandered around her hand, and eventually she saw the memories of college appear before her. The spirit seemed happy to see the girl. As the spirit rifled through her memories she landed on the night of the party when Dipper got wasted and still managed to save her for those jerks. Pacifica didn't feel like she needed saving but she loved that Dipper did it anyways. Pacifica felt a warmth come from the spirit. As if she was happy that Pacifica had found such a terrific guy. Pacifica thought ' _It gets better,_ ' and she felt the spirit become giddy. Pacifica focused on the memory of Dipper's proposal. The spirit watched it. The pool of water physically turned warm instead of the cool temperature it usually was. The spirit was unbelievably happy for the girl. Almost as if she had accomplished some kind of lifelong wish. The spirit expressed how happy she felt that Pacifica had found such a great person to spend the rest of her life with.

"I know," Pacifica said as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

As the spirit started to withdraw Pacifica heard a twig snap. She spun around to find a young girl no more than ten standing in the entrance. "Hey there. What's your name?" Pacifica asked gently. The girl looked scared and nervous, but told Pacifica her name any ways.

"Are you lost?" Pacifica asked.

"No I ran away because my friends are so mean to me."

Pacifica squatted down to the girl's height. "Well they don't sound much like friends to me," Pacifica had an idea. "Come here," she motioned for the girl to come over to the pool.

The little girl approached. "Who were you talking to?" The girl asked.

"Do you want me to show you?" Pacifica asked her.

The girl nodded her head. Pacifica held out her hand and the girl took it. Pacifica guided her hand into the pool. The girl was nervous at first. Pacifica comforted the girl much like Dipper did for her when she first placed her hand in the pool. Pacifica told her that her friend was nice and would show her things if she let her. About that time the Spirit had started showing the girl's memories to her. The little girl smiled and laughed. Pacifica was happy that she was able to share her friend with someone new. Eventually the spirit had comforted the girl and she made a new friend. The spirit slowly left the girl's mind. Back in reality Pacifica told the girl that she couldn't ever tell anyone about the spirit. The little girl agreed, and Pacifica escorted the girl back to civilization. Pacifica let the girl run off home and turned to head off in the direction of the Mystery Shack.

It was late when she finally made it back to the Mystery Shack. She was greeted by her boyfriend and her friends Mabel, Soos, and Melody she also met Reggie and Telah.

"Did you paint the old town red today?" Dipper teased Pacifica.

"No I just went to visit our mutual friend."

"Oh? And what did she have to say?" Dipper asked.

Pacifica wrapped her arms around Dipper's neck and kissed him deeply even snaking her tongue in. Dipper was shocked and a little embarrassed that Pacifica did that in front of others.

"She said that?" Dipper asked.

"Not exactly but she made me feel that way about you," Pacifica explained.

Dipper turned back to the others.

"Let me see your ring," Melody said.

Pacifica was all too happy to show it off.

Pacifica explained the meaning and Melody looked at Dipper. "You are extremely creative. Nice work."

"Thanks," Dipper said leaning back in his chair, "Wait till you see the wedding ring," he added with a smirk.

Dipper, Mabel and Pacifica, spent the night at the Mystery Shack. Dipper and Pacifica in her room and Mabel stayed in the attic room. The next morning they all shared breakfast together and the three college students took off back to LA. Again driving in shifts to make it back in time for class the next day.

The three made it back in time to get a few hours of sleep before class. That afternoon in the twin's apartment.

"There is no way I'm doing that again next weekend," Pacifica said.

"Yeah marathon driving isn't as fun as it sounds," Mabel agreed.

"Well how do you suggest we get there then?" Dipper asked hoping she had an alternative.

"I'll just buy us airline tickets. We can fly into Portland International and rent a car to drive to Gravity Falls," Pacifica explained.

Dipper and Mabel looked at each other. Pacifica's idea did sound better.

"You have enough money to pay for all of us?" Dipper asked not wanting to pressure Pacifica into spending that much money.

"Yeah I've been investing since I started getting money from mom and dad way back. I've made quite a bit off of interest. I mean I wasn't planning on spending it on this but I don't see any alternative."

Everyone felt the same about not driving back up to Gravity Falls in one day.

"Alright we'll do it your way," Dipper told Pacifica.

That Friday afternoon Pacifica, Mabel, and Dipper headed to LAX to fly to Portland. They couldn't believe they had gotten there in only a couple hours. It was much better than the drive from LA to Gravity Falls. They rented a car and drove the two hours down to Gravity Falls. They made it in plenty of time for the wedding. The three helped to set up for the wedding by setting out chairs behind the Mystery Shack where the wedding was being held, they set up Soos' DJ table, and cleared out the main room of the Mystery Shack for the reception. Once done they all went to change into their wedding attire. Pacifica offered to let Melody use her room and all her stuff to get ready. She was surprised that Melody hadn't just used it anyway. After all she had the massive vanity and all the makeup a girl could want in there. Not to mention Soos technically own the Shack now. Pacifica even offered to help do her makeup or hair. Melody was pleased to have the help.

Dipper and Reggie were in charge of keeping Soos from freaking out too much. He was down in his and Melody's shared room which was Grunkle Stan's old bedroom. Dipper was trying to keep Soos focused and not let his mind wonder. Reggie just sat there texting his wife.

Soon it was time to start. Soos, Dipper, and Reggie assumed their positions at the makeshift altar, an arching trellis with flowers growing up it. Dipper picked out Pacifica in the crowd. She was beautiful. She wore a Teal dress much like the bride's maids but hers was a little more elaborate and went lower. She also had her hair up in a large round bun, almost like a volleyball, with her bangs and the hair on her temples still hanging down to its normal length. She was always stunning but when she dressed up for something formal she really knocked them dead. Pacific felt like people were staring at her. Once she would have relished in their stares but now it made her a little uncomfortable. She saw Dipper wave at her and she waved back. At least now the stares were split between them.

Finally the wedding march played and everyone stood up to greet the bride as her and her party made their way to the front of the crowd. Pacifica had done well with Melody's hair. She put a little curl in it making it wavy and bouncy. Telah and Mabel had collaborated on the makeup, and that too was done very well. As Melody made her way to the trellis Soos was beaming he had never seen such a beautiful sight in all his life. The couple took each other's hands and the ceremony started.

"You may now kiss the bride." Sheriff Blubs said.

Who had been voted in as Justice of the Peace and was now residing over the ceremonies. Everyone applauded as the two shared in a deep loving kiss. The wedding itself had gone off without a hitch. Dipper wasn't used to parties at the Mystery Shack going according to plan; he half expected the zombies to rise again.

The reception was in full swing. Soos was running between DJing his own wedding reception and all the wedding traditions that the groom typically participated in such as throwing the garter, which Dipper missed of course, to the newlywed's first dance. Eventually his obligations where complete and he enjoyed DJing the rest of the night. Dipper got up from sitting next to his fiancée and walked over to Soos and handed him a CD. Soos put the CD on and announced it was time for all the lovers to make their way to the dance floor. Dipper approached Pacifica with his hand extended inviting her to dance. She graciously accepted and the young couple made their way to the dance floor. The two danced slowly with each other. It was a beautiful calm moment between the two that rarely reared its head, and they intended to take full advantage of it.

"How come you become so graceful when on the dance floor?" Pacifica asked.

"I don't know," Dipper replied.

"You couldn't even catch the garter," Pacifica teased.

"Well at least you caught the bouquet. I thought you and Mabel would fight each other for it,"

Pacifica nuzzled her head into Dipper's shoulder. "She let me have it," Pacifica confessed.

"Well I'm glad she did," Dipper expressed.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Pacifica sighed.

"Me too," Dipper said sharing in her sentiment.

Eventually all good thing must come to an end, and so did the song and their dance. Dipper escorted Pacifica back to their table.

"You two were so cute dancing together," Mabel said as they sat down.

Dipper just smiled.

As the night ran on Pacifica and Dipper danced a few more times and Mabel found herself being asked by a couple of guys to dance. The couple wished the night could last forever but eventually had to retire because they had a flight to catch in the morning to go back to LA.


	19. The Past can be a Happy Place

**A/N: I apologize for this one. A little to sappy, but I felt like I needed to clarify exactly why they like each other.**

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Chapter 19

The Past can be a Happy Place

It was the week after finals. Most students referred to it as _Drunk Week_ , but Dipper felt he had had his yearly allotted amount of alcohol all in one night a few months back. So he and Pacifica lay shoulder to shoulder on his bed staring at the ceiling just enjoying the moment.

"Why do you love me?" Pacifica asked.

Dipper scrunched his face up at the question. "Why are you asking?" He asked sounding very confused.

"Well, the water spirit showed us that we loved each other so we _knew_ it, but we never got an explanation of why."

Dipper raised his eyebrows in an understanding gesture. He thought for a second on how to say it.

"Bear with me for a second. I'm going to take a roundabout way to get there, but I promise I'll get there," the explanation didn't surprise Pacifica she knew her fiancée well enough to know he had to have a lot of build up to express himself like this.

"My first summer in Gravity Falls I developed a crush on Wendy, and I asked myself the same question 'why did I like her?' Well as the summer went on I sort of started to figure it out. She was a strong woman that didn't need anyone else in order for her to be a person."

Pacifica was listening intently.

"She was her own unique individual, but honestly I think what got me about her originally was her confidence. So anyways I eventually met you, and I don't need to tell you that we didn't like each other."

Pacifica smiled remembering how she and Dipper used annoy each other.

"Then you asked me to help bust your family's ghost and I got to see you as an individual without her parents influence. I liked that girl a lot. Then the ghost told me that you and your parents knew he would return that night. I was mad I felt used. The worst part was that I felt like _you_ used me, but at the end of the night you proved to me that the girl I met that night wasn't a figment of my imagination. I wanted to be around that girl so much, so I tried to encourage her."

Pacifica's smile had turned to a deep frown. Hearing Dipper tell her how much she hurt him made her feel awful.

"So I left that night thinking that maybe you could be better one day. Then you showed up at my door the next morning with your brilliant plan," Dipper said laughing to himself.

Pacifica smiled again remembering the moment.

"You were so proud of yourself and I could see that you, like Wendy, were your own unique person. You were courageous to stand up to your parents like that. I was admiring you. I think that's when I fell for you," Dipper finished his explanation.

Pacifica laid on the bed feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside because of what her boyfriend had just explained to her.

"So you like me because I don't need someone else to be a complete person. I'm my own person who can make her own decisions?" She said to clarify.

Dipper thought for a second. "Yeah I don't like girls who depend on having a boyfriend just so she feels complete. I need someone who doesn't depend on me but complements me as a person. You know what I mean?"

Pacifica smiled, "Yeah I think I do," she said warmly.

"Well what about you?" Dipper asked putting her in the hot seat now.

Pacifica thought for a few seconds. "I think it was much of the same reasons," Pacifica admitted. "I hated you when we first met. You and Mabel were such free spirits. You guys did what you thought was fun when you thought it was fun, and I resented you for it because it was something I couldn't do."

Dipper frowned feeling saddened thinking about what Pacifica's life must have been like before he came into it.

Pacifica continued "I wanted you guys to like me, but I knew I couldn't express that. So I shunned you and her for being yourselves."

Pacifica was visibly crying at this point. Dipper grabbed Pacifica's hand giving it a warm gentle squeeze to let her know he was there supporting her. Pacifica smiled at the gesture.

"So that night at my parents party you gave me that warm genuine smile that you give only to friends, and I said to myself 'I can't let that get away,' It started out as a friendly sentiment, but the next morning at the Mystery Shack you were so supportive and nice to me. It turned into something a little more. I tried to suppress it but I couldn't."

The two just continued to stare at the ceiling a few minutes passed without so much as a squeak before Dipper broke the silence.

"It's funny we both say that we like each other because we don't depend on someone else to make us feel whole, yet I know I wouldn't feel whole without you by my side."

Both Dipper and Pacifica's eyes welled up at the thought of losing the other. They both rolled over onto their sides and held their significant other tightly.

"I love you so much Cif. I don't know how I would go on without you," Dipper said while weeping into his fiancée's shoulder.

This just intensified Pacifica's tears.

"I don't know what I would do without you either," Pacifica said holding on to Dipper tightly.

The two held onto each other for what seemed like an eternity, but eventually they regained their composure and returned to lying shoulder to shoulder. A few sniffles were shared between to the two.

Eventually Pacifica decided to break the silence this time. "I'm happy we finally talked about this," she said with a weary smile.

"Me too I had no idea I had all that pent-up inside," Dipper expressed.

"So any ways we have to get all my stuff moved out of the dorm by the end of the week," Pacifica told her fiancée.

Dipper looked around his room at all of Pacifica's stuff, his closet was half full of her clothes, she had a spot on his dresser with all her jewelry and cosmetics, and she even had a drawer with all her socks and undergarments in it.

"What else could you possibly have in there?" He asked.

Pacifica rolled her eyes and smiled flipping onto her stomach and resting her chin on Dippers chest.

"I have about a week's worth of clothes there for when you kick me out of your apartment so I don't get kicked out of school, and a few other things like beddings and some spare jewelry," She explained.

Dipper rested his hand on her back rubbing it in small circles. "It'll be nice for you to finally be her all the time," he said with a smile.

"I know I can't wait," Pacifica said laying her head down sideways as if giving him a hug. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the sounds of his heart beat.

Mabel had been alerted by their sniffles from earlier and had been eavesdropping ever since. She finally decided to reveal herself in the door.

"You two are so perfect together it's almost sickening," Dipper smiled at his twin sister's comment.

"You're just jealous," he said.

"Extremely!" Mabel clarified. "I wish I could find someone who loves me as much as you love Paz."

"Aww Mabel you'll find someone eventually you just have to keep kissing all of the toads. Trust me I finally found my prince," Pacifica said smiling up at Dipper.

Mabel made a gagging face as a joke. "What do you two want for dinner?"


	20. Back Again, Returning to Forever

Chapter 20

Back Again, Returning to Forever

Dipper, Pacifica, and Mabel decided to return to Gravity Falls for the summer, but Dipper and Mabel wanted to visit home for a while before going back to the Falls. Pacifica was fine with this of course. So the three packed up a couple weeks worth of clothes and headed back north to Piedmont.

"Mom! Dad! We're home," Mabel exclaimed as she entered their house.

"Oh kids we're so happy to see you. It feels like it's been forever." Mrs. Pines said giving her two children a hug and a kiss. "And Pacifica dear how is my favorite future daughter-in-law?" She asked giving the young woman a hug and a kiss as well.

"I'll be much better now that I don't have to live in the dorms anymore," Pacifica said.

"Will you be moving in with Dipper and Mabel?" Mr. Pines asked.

"Yes, and I am going to help pay the rent no arguments," She said looking at the two.

Mr. and Mrs. Pines had been paying for Mabel and Dippers apartment so that they could go to college in LA. Mrs. Pines didn't exactly want her future daughter-in-law paying them, but they couldn't exactly turn away the help. Pacifica knew this which is why she brought it up.

"That would be fine dear," Mrs. Pines said.

Pacifica, Mabel, and Dipper planned on spending about six weeks in Piedmont three on their way up to Gravity Falls and three on the way back. During their stay in Piedmont Dipper took Pacifica around to all sorts of interesting places. They went to a few restaurants, a few boutiques where Pacifica bought a few tops and a pair of knee high boots, and they even day tripped San Francisco, but while they were still in Piedmont Dipper took Pacifica around to meet a few of his friends from high school. They couldn't believe that Dipper was still going out with the beautiful girl from their Valentine's Day dance freshman year. They had even more of a problem with the second part. The fact that they were engaged now. Pacifica enjoyed making her fiancée look good in front of all of his friends. During their trip to San Fran Pacifica had started wondering how Dipper was paying for all of this.

"Where did you get money?" Pacifica asked on their way back from San Fran.

Dipper got a smug grin. Pacifica didn't like it.

"Well with the second semester of college being much less labor intensive I started to take jobs helping people with their supernatural problems." Dipper said revealing his little secret to Pacifica. "It started out with that jeweler that made that ring." Dipper explained gesturing toward Pacifica's engagement ring. "Then someone called me saying they got my number from that guy and that I was the person to talk to about paranormal investigations. One thing led to another and now I kind of work for favors or money."

Pacifica looked a little put out. "I was wondering where you were disappearing to some times during the week," She thought for a second, "Favors? So you're like the supernatural godfather huh?" Pacifica grinned at the silly notion.

Dipper really smiled thinking about it. "Yeah I guess I am," He laughed.

Finally it was time for the three young adults to move on to Gravity Falls to spend time with their friends from the small mysterious town.

"Bye Mom. Bye Dad. We'll be back at the end of summer on our way back to LA," Dipper told his parents as the three loaded the truck up to leave.

"Alright kids don't get into any trouble in Gravity Falls," Mr. and Mrs. Pine called out to the kids as they drove away.

The drive to Gravity falls was still long even from Piedmont but at least it didn't take all day. The three arrived at the Mystery shack a little after noon. The three walked in to surprise Soos and Melody, but in turn were surprised to find Grunkle Stan standing behind that cash register.

"Grunkle Stan!" Dipper and Mabel shouted.

"Oh, hey kids! Oh man look at you two!" He said happy to see his great niece and nephew.

"Where is Ford?" Dipper asked.

"Well Ford is still up in the Arctic Circle," Stan explained.

"Then what are you doing back?" Mabel asked.

"Well I'm getting too old to go gallivanting around ancient frozen structures kid," Stan explained.

"So Ford _did_ find something then," Dipper exclaimed.

"Oh _we_ found something Dipper, and it's massive. A structure carved out of the bedrock hidden underneath the ice caps,"

"That's so cool I can't wait till Ford will let me join," Dipper enthused.

Pacifica was standing behind him. She hadn't thought about what Dipper would be doing as an archaeologist really, but the thought of him being gone for so long to such a remote and dangerous place didn't really sit well with her. Dipper turned and remembered that Stan hadn't heard the good news as far as he knew. He motioned for Pacifica to join him.

"Grunkle Stan. Pacifica and I are engaged," Dipper revealed the news to the old man.

Pacifica smiled and held up her hand so he could see the ring. The old man's eyes grew big and he gave a happy laugh.

"That-a-boy," he cried, "You going to keep the Pines name going?" The old man asked.

"Uh— We'll probably think about kids after we're married and have our carriers going," He said blushing a little. Pacifica just giggled.

Soos and Melody had entered the shop by this point.

"Yo dudes! How are you?" Soos exclaimed. The three caught up with Soos, Melody, and Grunkle Stan. Later that day Wendy stopped by.

"Whoa. When did you guys get back?"

"Today," Mabel said running over to Wendy to give her a hug.

"Jeez I can't believe you're as tall as me now Mabel. I remember when you two were like this high," Wendy said holding her hand down to her hip.

"Hey, are Candy and Grenda back yet?" Mabel asked Wendy

"Yeah they've been back for a couple weeks,"

"Alright I'm going to surprise them see you guys later," Mabel said before closing the door.

Wendy sat down in Mabel's old spot at the kitchen table and opened a Pitt cola and took a drink. Pacifica turned to Wendy now an adult woman.

"Dipper purposed," Pacifica said with a smile.

Wendy smiled. "I know. I've watched it like a hundred times."

Pacifica lost some of her smile remembering Mabel posted it everywhere.

Wendy looked at Dipper. "That was the sweetest thing ever, and it just happened to fit perfectly with what Pacifica was saying before." She gestured toward Pacifica.

Wendy leaned forward to examine the ring. "Its unconventional, but it's totally you two," Pacifica gave her a grateful smile.

"So what are you doing now since you graduated college early," Dipper asked.

"Well my plan was to eventually run the lumber mill, and once Mr. Northwest retired. The shareholders voted the old COO to CEO and they voted me as COO. So I'm kind of in charge of shipments coming in and going out and making sure everything runs smoothly on the floor," Wendy explained.

"Wow I can't believe they voted someone so young to the position," Dipper said.

"Yeah well I am a Corduroy logging is in my blood. Plus I'm pretty sure since the employees own the other ruling percentage of shares they wanted to see the company back in the hands of someone who really cared about them," Wendy explained.

"How are my parents?" Pacifica asked.

Wendy looked at Pacifica with a sympathetic look. "Well last I heard they were doing well which is why your dad retired he didn't need the extra income. He still owns shares in the company so he's making most of his money that way and through investing. I haven't really heard anything about your mom so I'm sure they're still both in good health," Wendy told her everything she knew.

"We can go see them if you want Cif," Dipper offered.

"No! I mean—" Pacifica had a sad look on her face. "As much as I want to see them I need for them to apologize first."

Dipper hesitated a second then said, "Cif they can't apologize if they never see you."

"No, I made sure they had my phone number, and I know they could find me easily if they tried I don't make it a secret."

Dipper thought for a second. "Alright as long as you're sure."

"I am," Pacifica said. Dipper gave Pacifica a kiss on the head.

The couple enjoyed being back in Gravity Falls. It felt like home to both of them, where they were surrounded by friends and by Dipper's family. One night everyone had met up at the mystery shack. Soos, Melody, Wendy, Grenda, Candy, Grunkle Stan, Mabel, Pacifica, and Dipper all sat outside around a fire enjoying the summer night. The group shared in stories about their time when everyone is away from Gravity Falls. Pacifica and Mabel delighted in telling the story of how Dipper saved Pacifica from the disgusting frat boys, everyone was really impressed, Grenda shared a story about how she got on her school's wrestling team, Candy told stories about her classes mostly, Soos and Melody shared stories about events that happened at the Mystery Shack, Stan told them all about his time in the Arctic Circle, Dipper told them about this monster in this old lady's basement in LA, and Wendy told everybody why she was single again.

Eventually the energy of the get together started to die and Pacifica found herself thinking about Dipper going off to who knows where for his future job.

"Dipper, I don't want you going off to places like the Arctic Circle and leaving me." Pacifica pouted.

"Aw, what? Cif I'm not _leaving_ leaving you I'll come back. I'm not even sure yet what I'll specialize in," His words didn't help bring her out of her pout. Dipper sighed. "Look Cif I don't like the idea of leaving you for all that long either, but I really want to do this, and like I said I might end up specializing in early American culture and never really leave the country, or even more specific western Native American culture. Who knows, but what I do know is that I'll never stop loving you."

Pacifica's smile betrayed her. She wasn't too pleased with her traitorous mouth she wanted to guilt trip him a little long, but Dipper could see he still had a little ways to go.

"Look here. He said moving down to Pacifica's level who was sitting on the ground in front of him cuddled up to his legs. Dipper pointed to the night sky. "Do you see that?" He asked. Pacifica followed his finger. It was pointing to the Big Dipper. Everyone looked up as well.

"Yeah," Pacifica answered.

"Anytime you miss me go outside and look up at the night sky and I'll be right there looking back down on you," Dipper comforted his fiancée.

Pacifica thought that was one of the sweetest things ever and kissed her fiancée long and hard.

All the girls shared in a collective "Aww."


	21. Time Flows Ever Onward

**A/N: Some foreshadowing of my Lovecraftian chapter.**

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Chapter 21

Time Flows Ever Onward

The summer passed and the three eventually found themselves back in LA starting their second year of college. Dipper was taking a lot of easy classes this semester so he was left with a lot more free time for his fiancée and his supernatural detective work. Even though Pacifica had only teased him about being the supernatural godfather the more he worked and the more word got around the more she seemed to be right. Dipper never asked for money or even a favor but people gave it to him anyways. It was rare that Dipper called in a favor, but it did happen occasionally. Like one time he helped this guy with an infestation of gremlins and it turns out the guy managed a very high class restaurant, he said if Dipper ever needed anything to just ask. So a week before Valentine's Day he called in the favor. A table and two complimentary meals for him and his fiancée on Valentine's Day. Pacifica had a hunch how he got all of it but never really brought it up.

Pacifica and Mabel continued with their art school constantly competing for the top spot in class. Pacifica found it funny that they had put away one rivalry for another; at least this one was a friendly competition. Pacifica worked hard and was always rewarded when she laid her head down at night next to her fiancée's. It always reminded her of why she was doing it all. Eventually Dipper convinced Pacifica to get her own car. She wasn't very confident in her driving skills then again there were really only a handful of people in this city that were good drivers. So she eventually caved and bought a small white sedan. Dipper inspected the car after Pacifica brought it home.

"It's got four tires, a steering wheel, and some seats," he said inspecting the car, "Guess what Cif. I thing you bought a car."

Pacifica just rolled her eyes. It didn't take long for her to hone her driving skills. She adjusted as she always does and became a fairly decent driver.

Mabel had started dating again, but not like in the old days when she would chase after any guy that had a heart beat. She brought a few dates home some of which hair spontaneously combusted and were never seen from again, and the others couldn't really handle her energy level all the time. Dipper felt for his sister he knew she longed for what Pacifica and he had. He even tried to set her up with a guy from his class that he thought would mesh well with her. They went on a couple of dates, but once again he could only take so much Mabel at one time. Pacifica told Dipper those two would never work out, but he felt he knew his twin well enough. Fact was that he did he just didn't know the other guy well enough. Mabel even went into a slight depression she felt like something was wrong with her since the guys were the ones who always broke it off. Dipper did his best to console her, but sometimes there is only so much a person with unconditional love can do. Pacifica stepped in and took her out on a girl's night. Where they just trashed talked every guy that walked by. It improved her spirits greatly.

One day Ford called Dipper. "Dipper you'll never believe what we've found," Ford said ecstatically.

"Well Grunkle Stan said you guys found some kind of ancient structure buried under the ice caps," Dipper explained.

"You're right Dipper, but my team and I have excavated a large room it's covered in weird carvings. When you look at them it's like your whole body tells you it's unnatural. Look Dipper as soon as you get your bachelors you have to join us this could be the greatest find in the history of mankind."

Dippers heart sank low. He didn't want to leave Pacifica, but he wanted to be a part of this discovery. His heart was in a state of ambivalence.

"Dipper hello are you still there?"

"Yeah I'm still here."

"So are you in?"

Dipper thought. "Yeah… Yeah. I'm in," he said half heartedly.

"Great I can't wait to work side by side." Ford said and hung up the phone.

Dipper still torn turned to leave his room. He found Pacifica standing in the door. Dipper knew better than to act dumb with her so he just came right out and said it.

"That was Grunkle Ford, he said—"

A finger on his lips quieted him. "Look Dipper I heard it all, and I want you to know that I've been thinking about what I said over the summer. I think I was being selfish. I know you have two great passions in this world this mystery stuff and me, and to deny you one would be to deny you of a part of yourself," Pacifica spoke from her heart, "I know you will miss me as much as I'll miss you so as long as you promise me that you will _never_ skip any kind of safety precaution I won't guilt trip you into staying."

Dippers face brightened. Dipper grabbed Pacifica's waist and pulled her closer to him and kissed her. She cupped his defined jaw and kissed back.

"I promise I'll never ever skip on any kind of safety precaution because I want to come back to the woman I love."

Pacifica smiled. "I like your exercise of the artistic license at the end."

Dipper planted another kiss on her lips and smiled "I thought you would."

Eventually the school year was coming to a close Dipper's teachers noticed that it seemed like he had gained some kind of new motivation. They didn't know anything about Ford's Arctic Circle expedition, or that he had been officially invited pending his graduation. Dipper was highly motivated especially with his fiancée's blessing.

Pacifica and Mabel finished up the school year as the two top students in the program. They knew it wasn't a true art school, so they came together to make a plan. Once they had graduated and they had both seen Dipper off they were going to move to New York and join the prestigious fashion design school there. By the time Dipper came back they would both be fashion designers. Their end goal was to open their own boutique and make their own clothes. They planned on just getting two year degrees and taking separate classes in order to maximize their efforts. Where one failed the other would succeed.

"It's fun being in cahoots," Mabel giggled.

Pacifica smiled "Partners in crime?"

"Partners in crime," Mabel agreed.


	22. Before Alice got to Wonderland she had t

**A/N: Again I feel obligated to inform you of graphic material in this chapter. A little violence and a little gore. You have been warned. With that out of the way this is my favorite chapter hands down. It was super fun to write. Its my attempt at a little Noir genre. All my friends that read the story agree that this is the crown jewel of the story. Please leave a review and tell me what you think.**

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Chapter 22

Before Alice got to Wonderland she had to Fall

Dipper had a sit down with his two favorite girls in the world, his fiancée Pacifica and his twin sister Mabel. He had an idea and wanted to run it by them.

"I've been thinking," he began, "and I want to take a full summer semester."

Pacifica and Mabel looked at each other.

"Is this about Ford?" Pacifica asked.

Dipper nodded. "Summer break is just a waste of time. If I take the next two summer semesters fully loaded I will graduate at the end of next summer and I'll be able to join in on Ford's expedition sooner."

Mabel was unsure where she stood on the matter so she just looked at Pacifica as if giving her the lead.

Pacifica sighed. "I don't see any problem with it, but if you stay I'm staying," Pacifica looked at her friend, "And I guess that means you're staying. Right?"

Mabel smiled. "I guess so. We'll all just take classes this summer," Mabel said with a big smile.

The three all signed up for summer classes. Dipper didn't have any basic classes left everything remaining specialized in his field of study so he felt right at home with the material. Mabel and Pacifica had to both take a full load if they wanted their plans to stay the same. The only difference now is that the timetable had been moved up. Dipper had plenty of free time on his hands considering anything these classes were teaching him his Grunkle Ford had already taught him so the homework was the only hard part about the class and it was mainly busy work. So when Dipper wasn't playing student he was hanging out with his fiancée, and when he wasn't doing that he was being the supernatural godfather. He'll admit it he liked the sound of it even if Pacifica was only teasing him when she called him that. Pacifica and Mabel knew about his side hustle but there was never any need to object to it. Most of the stuff in LA wasn't anywhere near as crazy as it was back in Gravity Falls.

One night Dipper got a phone call from a very distressed sounding gentleman who was plagued by men wearing robes and walking around the neighborhood chanting some weird language. Dipper's gut reaction was to tell the guy to just call the cops until he made a mention of one tiny detail. The gentleman said they all had a tattoo of a triangle with an eye in the middle on their foreheads. Dipper's heart raced with fear at the description of his family's greatest blunder. ' _Bill! There is no way he can come back we destroyed him in the dreamscape. He's nothing now. Right?_ ' Dipper couldn't take the chance.

"I'll look into it," He told the man.

He wrote down the gentleman's address and decided he better check it out. ' _The sooner the better,_ ' he thought. Dipper decided to stake out the neighborhood first to see if these guys in robes had any kind of lookout to take note of any suspicious activity. First he started outside the neighborhood. He drove around the perimeter. There was nothing that caught his eye so he called it a night. The next night he worked on research papers until about an hour before the gentleman said the robed group generally showed up, and he took off to do more recon. Pacifica knew he was sleuthing, but she hadn't seen him this focused on it before. She felt she owed him the benefit of the doubt so she bit her tongue for now.

Dipper arrived about thirty minutes early and drove a little way into the neighborhood this time. He watched for signs of anything, but there was nothing just a man walking his dog. Dipper was starting to feel like this may be some sort of wild goose chase, but decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to see if he could find anything of any interest. He found a gravel drainage ditch that ran through the neighborhood behind two rows of backyards. ' _If I wanted to move through a populated area without anyone noticing I would use something like this,_ ' he made a physical note about it on his notepad. He decided to investigate the ditch further, so he walked down it toward the outside of the neighborhood. There he found many trails that led into the ditch. They almost looked like animal trails leading to a water source except larger. He made a note of that too. He looked down the ditch further it led to a culvert that ran under the main road outside the neighborhood. Dipper's watched chimed he checked it to see the time. ' _Eleven. I better get home before Pacifica has a heart attack,_ ' he made a note about the culvert and returned to his truck. He even decided to shoot his fiancée a text just to be safe. ' _I'm fine. Just lost track of time I'll be home in half an hour,_ ' he hit send.

When Dipper got home Pacifica gave him a tongue lashing. He just loved her more for it. Finally they laid down to go to bed. Dipper laid there contemplating what he had found. ' _Assuming those trails were made by humans the question is whether they were coming or going,'_ he pondered. He needed the answer, but then he felt something soft and cool cover his face.

"Go to sleep sweetie," Pacifica groaned covering his face with a pillow.

Dipper pushed the pillow off. "How did you know I was still awake?" he asked.

Pacifica put her face in the pillow. "Because you breathe louder when you're asleep," her voice muffled by the pillow.

Dipper smiled and rolled over and placed a kiss on his fiancée's cheek. He then wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her close. Pacifica giggled and the two fell asleep.

The next day Dipper was class free and decided to go back to the ditch and investigate it in the daylight. Once he got there he saw a guy walking down the same ditch he was there to investigate, and this guy seemed like he didn't want to be followed. Dipper watched from his truck till the guy disappeared into the culverts. Dipper made a physical note of this, and tore the page out of his notebook. He left it in his truck. Dipper started making his way to where the man was. Once he got to the culvert he started being really stealthy making sure his foot was always planted well before taking the next step he listened to every sound. Eventually he made it to the other side. Dipper poked his head out looking one way then the other expecting to see the man, but he didn't. Dipper stood up straight with disbelief and surprise. The culvert just led to a small pond. Dipper hopped down from the culvert which was about a foot higher than the edge of the pond. Dipper looked around and noticed that there weren't any trails like there was on the other side. About that time he heard a noise behind him. Dipper dropped beneath the bottom of the culvert. It sounded like someone manipulating a stone wall like something from a movie almost. Dipper peeked as much as he dared over the bottom of the culvert. He saw the figure of a man pull a door closed. ' _How could I have missed a door?'_ He thought pulling his head back down. Dipper held his breath trying to listen to the man's footsteps attempting to determine if he was walking toward him or away. Eventually he could tell his footsteps were becoming fainter. Dipper exhaled quietly. Once the man was gone, and had been for a minute or two, Dipper got up and went to about where he remembered the man walking out of the door except when he got there he found no door. Dipper looked at the wall perplexed. He stuck his hand out and ran it along the wall. He found a seam in the concrete. He continued till he found another, which was about four feet from the first, and he noticed a draft. A smile spread across his face. Dipper looked at the slab between the two seams there was no hole, no handle, or even a leaver. Dipper made a note of what he had found, and decided to get out of there before the guy came back. It was still early so Dipper decided to go to the hardware store before finally meeting the gentleman who had called him in the first place.

Later that afternoon Dipper drove back to the neighborhood and knocked on the man's door. The gentleman answered the door he was an elderly man who walked with a cane.

"Are you the detective I called about the… you know… odd people?" The elderly man asked.

Dipper couldn't help but smile. He offered his hand as he introduced himself.

"Yes. I'm Dipper I'm here to follow up on your call about…" He flipped through his notes as if he couldn't remember. "Robed people," he finished.

"Oh yes, yes. Come in," The elderly man's face brightened as he ushered Dipper inside.

Dipper had decided not long after he first started this paranormal investigation thing he should make anything about himself as vague as possible especially when meeting with a client for the first time. ' _Trust no one,_ ' Ford's words echoed in his head. Dipper now in the gentleman's house looked around. He had many odd knick-knacks some looked ancient. He even recognized some. ' _This man is into the occult,_ ' Dipper pointed to something he valued to be fake. Someone probably used it to take advantage of the old man.

"You've got some interesting trinkets here," Dipper acted as if they were just oddities.

"Don't you worry about those you're here for the cultist."

The old man slipped, and Dipper immediately knew that he wasn't the only one putting on an act.

"So about these robed people. What can you tell me about them?" Dipper asked getting down to business.

"They started showing up about a month ago. I don't know what they want or who they are, but the cops won't do anything. Say I'm crazy," The old man explained.

' _Then how do you know they are worshiping something to the point of calling them a cult,_ ' Dipper thought. Dipper wrote down what the man said.

"And what about…" Dipper flipped back through his notes again. "This strange language," He finished.

"Never heard it before in my life. They just walk around chanting something."

Dipper wrote as the old man talked.

"Does it sound kind of like anything you've heard before? Perhaps Spanish or Italian?"

The man didn't pause. "Nope. Like I've said never heard it before in my life."

' _Almost as if he knew what I was going to ask._ ' Dipper thought.

"Okay umm… what about a place of origin have you ever seen where they come from?" Dipper asked.

"Nah. You don't know they're there until they start that chanting of theirs."

Dipper wrote down what the man said. "What about when they leave?" Dipper pressed.

"I've never seen them leave. I've always been calling the cops when they disappear."

' _The ditch,_ ' Dipper thought. Dipper pondered his notes for a second stalling to think. ' _I don't think he's a part of the cult, but he definitely knows more than he lets on. I'd bet he knows the language, my money's on Latin, and I bet he knows what the Bill tattoo represents too, but how?_ ' Dipper stood up and started eyeing the odd things on the shelves.

"Have you ever heard of the name Bill Cipher?" Dipper asked making sure he was looking at the man when he said the name.

The man's pupils twitched and his nostrils flare just a little. ' _Gotcha!_ ' Dipper thought.

The old man ruffled his brow studying Dipper. "You know more than you're letting on," The old man said becoming defensive.

Dipper felt he had the high ground so he decided to press him a little. "I could say the same thing about you."

Dipper gestured to all the things around him. "You're obviously into the occult."

The old man was silent. "You called them a cult which means they worship something. More specifically _you_ called them a cult which means you know they _are_ worshipping something. Along with your description of the tattoo of Bill and your reaction to his name that means their worshipping Bill Cipher and you know it."

Dipper looked at the old man. "How am I doing so far?"

The old man looked scared, but managed to nod.

Dipper smiled at his brilliance. "I'm guessing you told one of them about Bill or gave them something that had to do with him. I'm also going to go out on a limb here and guess based off of your petrified expression that you made some kind of deal with him, and that you know how dangerous he is. So here is what I think is going on here. You are the reason these people are worshipping Bill and you're trying to get me to clean up your mess. Am I right?"

The old man managed to move his lips finally. "I gave them a book. It had an excerpt about Bill's true nature, and then I saw them with those tattoos and I knew I had made a mistake," The old man explained.

Dipper looked rather pleased that the old man finally came clean, but his curiosity made him ask. "Did you make a deal with him?" Dipper asked very clearly.

"No," the old man spoke.

Dipper looked relieved. He stood up and said, "Wish I could say the same."

The old man looked petrified again. With his back to the old man Dipper called back.

"Don't ever call me again."

Before he left Dipper turned back to another one of the knick-knacks that had been catching his eye all night. It was a raven's claw holding an eyeball. It was a dangerous artifact that had the ability of force someone to do the wielders will.

"This is fake by the way." He threw the artifact to the ground and stomped on it. He could feel its power leave the object. Dipper closed the door behind him, and crawled back into his truck and went back home.

Dipper walked in the apartment to see his fiancée and his twin sister setting the table. A smile crept onto his face. Pacifica noticed.

"What?" She asked.

"I'll tell you over dinner," Dipper said chuckling to himself.

Over Pacifica's homemade spaghetti Dipper regaled them with his fine detective work.

"So it's all over then huh?" Mabel asked.

Dipper shook his head as he swallowed his spaghetti. "No I have to go back to the den and destroy any evidence of Bill there."

Pacifica looked worried. "Just be careful," she said. Dipper took her hand and nodded.

The next day after his classes Dipper went back to the den. He took a giant magnet, that he got at the hardware store, out of a box, and a can of gas and walked to the den. With the magnet he placed it up against the wall and heard a clank. He smiled. He moved the magnet on way; nothing. He moved the magnet another and heard a sliding sound. * _clunk*_. The door gave just a little and he pushed. Inside he found a table full of manuscripts. They looked ancient, and there among them was the book the old man talked about. On the wall was a mural of Bill Cipher top hat and all. Dipper's gut lurched. Turning his attention back to the book he piled all the papers onto the floor and doused them with gasoline. He even tossed some gas up on the Bill mural. He left the gas canister on the ground next to the papers. Dipper backed into the doorway and focused his mind. He had never made a fire this large before which is why he brought the gas, but it only took a moment and the pile caught fire. It was large and hot.

"NO!" a man screamed behind the sleuth.

Dipper turned to see the man from the day before holding a knife above his head. Dipper's heart raced and he instinctively brought his hands up to shield his face. The knife came down and cut Dipper's forearm. Dipper yelled in pain. The man swung too hard and lost his balance Dipper saw his opportunity. He ran shoulder first into the man's gut knocking him to the ground. Dipper ran as fast as he could to his truck and sped off.

Dipper threw open his apartment's front door. The loud bang that it made got the girls attention. Pacifica was the first to run into the room.

"Oh my god! Dipper what happened to your arm?!"

He could hear the fear in her voice. "It's not as deep as it looks, but it hurts."

Pacifica moved to steady her fiancée, and escort him to the kitchen sitting him on a stool. Pacifica removed his shirt so she could get to his arm without obstruction, and she began to rinse the wound off in the sink. Dipper winced as the cold water poured into the cut.

"See it's not that bad." Dipper said.

Pacifica looked at him worried. "It's deeper than you think."

Mabel came in with the first aid kit Dipper had put together.

"Start boiling a couple cups of water." He told his sister.

Mabel grabbed a pot and poured some water in it and put it on the stove.

Pacifica had washed away all the dried blood by this point. "We've got to get it to stop bleeding," Pacifica said concerned.

Dipper laughed in pain. "You're probably going to think I'm crazy but if either of you have a sanitary napkin go get it."

Mabel looked confused but went to the bathroom and grabbed one and came back.

"Well don't just stand there. Put it on my arm," Dipper instructed.

Mabel unwrapped the pad and applied it to his wound. Pacifica applied pressure to the cut.

"Good," Dipper said.

The water in the pot had started to boil.

"Now Mabel. In the first aid kit there is a curved sewing needle with a spool of string. I need you to take it and a few feet of string and place it into the boiling water to sanitize it."

Mabel followed her brother's instructions. Her hands were shaking as she threaded the needle and dropped it and the string into the pot.

"Is it still bleeding?" Dipper asked.

Pacifica checked. "It looks like it's starting to clot."

"Good. Now go into our room and underneath the bed in a box there is a bottle of tequila. Go get it."

Pacifica looked at Dipper shocked.

"Go! We'll talk about it later," he ordered.

Pacifica took off to their bedroom and found the bottle and brought it back. Dipper pulled the cork out with his teeth spitting it across the room, and drank a huge swig. He turned to his sister. She looked like she was about to pass out.

"Mabel!" She looked at her brother, "I need you to breathe okay. Breathe."

Mabel took a few deep breaths.

"Okay, take the pliers and get the needle out."

Mabel did so. Dipper took another drink of the spirit.

"Alright Mabel. You're sewing skills are about to pay off. Are you ready?" Dipper asked.

Mabel just nodded realizing what she was about to have to do. Dipper removed the sanitary napkin from his arm and doused his arm with the tequila. He winced. It burned like nobody's business.

"Go!" Dipper shouted in pain.

He took another large swig. Pacifica was wiping up any blood that oozed from the wound. Eventually Mabel made it down to the bottom and terminated her stitching. Dipper was pretty toasted at this point, but the pain was now just a dull throb coming from his arm. He set the bottle aside.

"Cif. Go get some hydrogen peroxide."

Pacifica went to the bathroom and returned with the hydrogen peroxide. Dipper just presented his arm to her. She started cleaning the wound. Mabel finally was re-gifted with the ability to speak now that the blood had stopped.

"That is going to leave a nasty scar."

"You think Cif likes men with cool scars?" he asked as if Pacifica wasn't right there. He turned back to Pacifica. "Oh hey there," he said.

Pacifica could only shake her head. Once Pacifica was done Dipper examined his homemade stitches.

"Nice needle work sis."

Mabel chuckled, "Thanks"

"Okay there is some gauze in the first aid pack. Put those over the wound directly then wrap my arm with the roll of the stuff."

Dipper was getting tired now that the adrenaline was wearing off. After Pacifica was done dressing her fiancée's wound she helped him up and moved him over to the couch. She plopped down next to him with Mabel on the other side. They all just sat there in silence exhausted. Dipper broke the silence.

"One of you is going to have to clean out all the blood in the truck."


	23. Creativity takes Courage

Chapter 23

Creativity takes Courage

"One of the guys in my class says I could get a tattoo to cover up the scar," Dipper told his fiancée.

Pacifica looked at him from her fashion magazine like he had just said something stupid.

"You're not getting a tattoo," She said.

"Hey I'm just glad I found a doctor at the free clinic that would take the stitches out without calling the cops."

Pacifica looking through her fashion magazine again said, "Me too. It's bad enough that some cultist sliced your arm open. I don't need to be bailing you out of jail too."

Mabel walked in from outside.

"Hey sis the doctor said that it was some of the best needle work he had ever seen."

"I'll kill you myself if you ever make me do that again," Mabel said angrily. Mabel then turned to Pacifica to inform her, "We are meeting with an advisor tomorrow at three."

"Why do you guys need to meet with an adviser?" Dipper asked.

"Since we're all graduating early Mabel and I have to get permission to do our senior art project early," Pacifica explained leaving the room seeming a little upset.

"She's really upset about you getting hurt," Mabel said getting straight to the point.

Dipper threw his head back, and followed is fiancée into their room. Pacifica was sitting on the bed with her magazine. Dipper crawled up next to her. His head rested next to her hip.

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Dipper said attempting an apology.

Pacifica thrust down her magazine. "The problem is that if I tell you to stop you won't listen," She said with a scowl.

Dipper laid there silently for a moment. "Then I won't make you say it. I'm never going to be the supernatural godfather ever again. I promise."

Pacifica's face looked relieved. "Really?"

Dipper looked up at her with big puppy dog eyes. "You know I was scared I was going to lose you too," Dipper said.

Pacifica wasn't going to fold so easily. "Oh stop that. If you were that scared you would have driven to a hospital," Pacifica said.

"Do we need to go shopping again?" Dipper asked.

Pacifica looked down at her fiancée. "Shopping doesn't fix everything."

Dipper became saddened that he wasn't going to win this round. "I'll make it up to you with something special I promise," Dippers moved up to give his fiancée an apology kiss.

The next day Mabel and Pacifica went to meet with their advisor, and after a lot of talking the lady finally agreed to let Mabel and Pacifica join the senior project class a semester early so that they could graduate early. Mabel and Pacifica were ecstatic on the car ride home.

"Now we just need to think of an idea since it's a group project," Mabel said.

"Wait it's a group project? Like whether you graduate or not is dictated by whether or not other people do their work?" Pacifica asked trying to clarify.

"Yeah, you see in the real world people have to work with other people so they make you have a big project with a lot riding on it to simulate that," Mabel explained.

"Now you sound like your brother," Pacifica told her best friend.

"Speaking of which did you forgive him?" Mabel asked wondering if Pacifica had gotten over Dipper getting cut up.

"He promised to do something special for me so I'm lying off the guilt tripping for now."

Back at the apartment Pacifica laid on her shared bed trying to think of an idea for her and Mabel's project.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Dipper asked noticing the furrowed brow on his fiancée's head.

"Got to think of an idea for our senior art project," Pacifica explained.

Dipper handed her a cup of coffee, and sat in his desk chair. "Hmm. I don't really know anything about art, but if it helps I've always like that," Dipper said gesturing with his cup of coffee to the wax drawing of Pacifica and himself dancing which now hung above their bed. Pacifica's face expanded her eyes widening and mouth falling agape.

"Inspiration," Dipper said taking a sip of his coffee.

Pacifica got up and ran to Mabel's room.

"Can you do your part?" Mabel asked her best friend. "I know I can do my part, but your part is infinitely more complex."

Pacifica smiled a determined smile "I can do it."

The semester began and Mabel and Pacifica's senior art project class started. They were required to submit their idea then a rendition of the idea and eventually the completed project with status updates along the way. Pacifica started with a nice new shipping palette, sturdy three ply plywood on top of that, and a large sheet of wax paper over that to create a base. Pacifica then found a metal shop to build her support skeletons to support the clay. Once they were done Dipper, Pacifica, and Mabel then began stacking blocks of sculpting clay in their living room. Once complete Dipper asked, "Are you going to tell me what you guys are making yet?"

Pacifica turned to her fiancée. "You remember your favorite art piece of us dancing?" Pacifica asked him.

"Yeah."

"Well I'm going 3D," Pacifica explained.

"Your sculpting us dancing?" Dipper asked more out of disbelief, "Well if anyone can do it, it's you," Dipper concluded.

Pacifica smiled excitedly and turned to her medium.

"So what is Mabel doing?" Dipper asked.

"She's making the clothes for them to wear."

Dipper's brow rose. "That's unique."

"I know right? It's going to be so cool!" Pacifica enthused.

Week after week Pacifica's sculpture slowly started to take shape. First the side of young Dipper's face, then a shoulder, and eventually young Pacifica's head. Dipper was sitting after class one day watching his fiancée work. He loved watching her create art she was always so focused.

"Reminds me of Grunkle Stan's haunted wax figure exhibit," Mabel said appearing next to her brother.

"Great now I'm scared it's going to come alive and try to chop my head off," Dipper teased his sister. Dippers gaze returned to his fiancée, "Nothing those hands create could ever be evil," he added.

"Dawww." Mabel cooed.

The end of the fall semester of their junior year, which was the last semester for the three's junior year, arrived. "Good thing that senior art class is two semesters long." Pacifica began "I honestly thought I would be done sculpting by now."

Dipper looked at her sculpture. It was probably about eighty percent of the way done. The only thing she had to do now was finish the legs of the sculpture.

"At least the torsos are done so I can get to work on making the tops," Mabel said with a little relief in her voice.

"I think you're going to have to sew everything on to them," Dipper pointed out.

Mabel looked back at the sculpture. "Yeah I didn't think about that," She admitted.

"Well my part will be done in a couple of weeks, and then it's all up to you." Pacifica told Mabel.

"I'm ready," Mabel said like she was about to kill a man, "I've got all the material ready," she finished.

"You should make them barefooted," Dipper said never looking away from the sculpture.

Pacifica looked at him like he was crazy. "Why?"

"Well there is no way you're going to get shoes on them, and it will look weird if they have real clothes on but painted on shoes," Dipper explained.

"It will make it look more innocent too," Mabel added.

Pacifica thought for a second. "Alright you both make valid points. Guess I'm sculpting toes too," Pacifica conceded

The semester rolled on and Pacifica finally finished the sculpture.

"Wow they look like tiny us," Dipper said in amazement.

"Yeah I just love pubescent Dipper with those adorable pudgy cheeks," Pacifica said pretending to squeeze the sculptures cheeks.

"Oh so I can let myself go then huh?" Dipper teased.

"Nope, we grow old then fat. Remember?" Pacifica replied.

Dipper wrapped his arms around his fiancée's waist from behind and pulled her close. "There is no one else I'd rather do so with."

Mabel came in holding clay Dipper's shirt, bowtie, vest, and jacket with a bunch of pins stuck into a stuffed tomato. "Gangway!" She shouted as she marched past the two. She started fitting the clothes to the sculpture. Dipper and Pacifica just watched her work.

After many fittings Mabel finally got clay Dipper's suit done. She had to cleverly hide the seams where she sewed the suit together, but eventually he was dressed to impress. Pacifica got to looking at the feet. "Well I'm finally convinced that bare feet was a good idea," she said.

"Told you," Dipper said confidently. Mabel evaluated her work.

"You know the tux looks good but your dress is giving me nightmares," Mabel admitted looking at Pacifica for support.

"Don't worry I'll help. I've got to learn how to make a dress too you know."

Mabel smiled remembering Pacifica was in the same boat she was. Dipper left the two girls to get to work on making Pacifica's dress from seven years ago. ' _Man I feel old,_ ' Dipper thought.

Mabel and Pacifica had failed in making the dress twice. The stress was starting to take its toll on the two, but eventually they succeeded. It was late and Dipper was about to get in bed when he heard the two girls cheer in celebration. He went into the living room and saw the dress pinned on clay Pacifica. She looked as lovely now as she did in his memories.

Dipper thought for a second. "How are you going to get it out?" he asked spoiling their fun.

The two girls looked at each other, then to their master piece, and finally to the door their faces turned pale. It looked like it might fit. It wasn't too tall the sculpture was shorter than they were, but it was wider. Dipper went and got his tape measure and measured the width of the door then he measured the sculpture trying to find its smallest diameter. Finally he found an angle he thought would work.

"We can probably get it out this way," he said gesturing to the angle he was at.

The girls sighed in relief. "Alright I'm done with this thing for tonight," Mabel said waving goodnight to her best friend and brother.

"Night," The engaged couple called after her.

Dipper turned to his beautiful fiancée. "What about you?" he asked

"I'm more than ready," She said.

Dipper picked her up with both arms her knees over one and her back resting against the other. Pacifica giggled at this, and wrapped her arms around Dippers neck while he carried her off to their room.

The day they had to present their projects to the class had come. Pacifica directed the move as the twins used brute strength to manipulate the Sculpture out the door. Once out they towed it over to the utility elevator; luckily their landlord had lent them the pallet jack for the day. Once down to the ground floor they lifted it into the back of Dippers truck, and he drove everyone to campus. Luckily the art department was built with the idea of moving large art pieces in and out. Once they had it set up in the studio where they were to present Pacifica took the extra minute to make sure the clothes were in perfect order and the sheet draped over the top was just right. "Alright I'll see you after class," Pacifica told Dipper.

"Pssh yeah right. You think I would miss this?"

She hadn't thought about it, but he could stay since he didn't have any classes on Friday. About that time the professor had arrived, and she was eager to see all the projects.

"Alright class let's begin."

The first group presented their project and talked about its many intricacies. Dipper didn't really care about anyone else's project he just wanted to see everyone's reaction to Mabel's and Pacifica's. Eventually it was time for Mabel and Pacifica to present their project.

"Ladies and gentlemen I present to you 'The Lovers Duet'," Pacifica said presenting their piece.

Mabel pulled the sheet off the sculpture. A calm commotion rose within the crowd and eventually an applause rose.

"This is a depiction of my fiancée's Valentine's Day school dance when we were both freshman in high school. I sculpted the figures and Mabel made the clothes."

Pacifica was so happy. Dipper had never seen her smile so large before.

"This is magnificent girls. I'm shocked that two of my students were able to make such a piece. You should really bring it by the exhibit tomorrow."

"What exhibit?" Mabel asked

"We'll talk about it after class," their professor said.

After the last piece was shown and everyone was packing their stuff up to leave the professor took Mabel and Pacifica into her office.

"You must really bring this by the exhibit tomorrow," She repeated.

"What exhibit?" Pacifica asked this time a little annoyed.

"The amateur art exhibit downtown. There, famous artists roam the exhibits and judge them. Generally whoever takes first gets a write up in the paper and they sell their art for a lot of money, and I honestly think you two have what it takes to compete."

Mabel and Pacifica looked at each other and smiled. "Sure, why not it can't hurt?" Pacifica said speaking for the both of them.

"Great! I'll take care of registering you two and everything just be there at eight."

And with that the girls went to find Dipper. They loaded up the sculpture and headed home.

Once back at home they explained what was going on to Dipper.

"You know she's only being this nice because she wants to ride on your coat tails of success right?" Dipper determined.

"So? It's not like she did anything so who cares," Pacifica said.

"What if we actually win?" Mabel said.

"We enjoy our fifteen minutes of fame and sell the sculpture," Pacifica said rather bluntly, "I don't expect to win," she said in her defense.

The next morning they arrived early and found their professor who showed them to their stall and told them how it would all work. Once they had the sculpture set up they started to get a lot of attention. Pacifica couldn't believe it. Of Course she loved her work but she didn't think other people would think it was all that great. Mabel was positively giddy at all the attention. Dipper just sat in the back enjoying people watching. Eventually the judges came by. Pacifica could have sworn she heard one say as they walked up that he had heard a lot about this one referring to their sculpture. As the judges moved around the sculpture one said she could swear they were about to continue their waltz as she stood there, another one commented about the uniquity of clothing a sculpture. They all marked on their little clip boards and moved on. Pacifica was shocked maybe Mabel was right. Maybe they did have a shot.

Toward the end of the day the judges came back around and handed out prizes they got to Pacifica and Mabel's stall along with a journalist.

"We present to you best of show," the eldest judge said bestowing on them a blue ribbon.

Mabel and Pacifica lost it they were jumping, spinning and squealing for a good thirty seconds. Dipper had shown back up at this point and Pacifica went and grabbed him. After they had settled down the journalist wrote up their whole story and told them to look for it in tomorrow's paper. They immediately started getting offers for the sculpture.

"I can't believe we sold it for that much money!" Pacifica began, "we could pay for next semester's tuition with this."

"I don't know what I'm going to do with my half," Mabel said.

"I'm really happy for you two," Dipper expressed.

He looked at his living room it felt off not to have a little version of himself there dancing with a tiny version of his fiancée. Pacifica grabbed his wrist and started to pull him to their room.

"What are we doing?" Dipper asked.

"Victory sex," Pacifica answered.

"Ewwww. I'm going to listen to a movie really loudly in my room," Mabel shouted.


	24. It Takes a Long Time to Become Young

Chapter 24

It Takes a Long Time to Become Young

Finally their last semester of college had arrived. "I can't believe we're almost done with college," Dipper exclaimed one night while Mabel, Pacifica, and himself were sitting around the TV watching a show. "What are you two planning on doing while I'm in the Arctic Circle?" Dipper asked.

"Probably take some time and go see everyone back in Gravity Falls. Maybe find some jobs in a boutique making clothes or something like that," Pacifica said casually giving a wink to Mabel for her to play along. Mabel and Pacifica hadn't told Dipper of their plans to move to New York and go to fashion school while he was in the Arctic Circle.

Mabel grinned. "Yeah there are a few places in Portland that we could probably get a job," she said trying to throw him off their true plan.

Dipper obtained a comforted grin and sunk back into the couch. "Well I'm glad you guys have a plan."

Dipper wanted to go participate in Grunkle Ford's excavation of the mysterious structure buried under the ice caps but first he had a promise to keep to his fiancée. A few months ago he told her he would do something special in order to make up for getting cut open. He was pretty sure she had forgotten about it by now which would make the surprise even better. Dipper had promised to forgo all supernatural sleuthing. Now he felt that the best way to cut all ties with the old facet of his life was to call in every favor he was owed essentially cutting all ties with the people he once helped, and he had a particular person in mind to be his starting point.

The semester seemed to be going so slow. Then again time always seemed to trudge on by when you're waiting for something. Dipper continued to call in favors and even exchanged some for cash. It was about a month before finals; Dipper found Pacifica alone in their room. "I've got a very special surprise for you," he said moving to sit next to her on their bed. Pacifica's face lit up with wonder.

"Hmm. What could it be?" She pondered.

Dipper reached into his desk safe and pulled out an envelope and handed it to his fiancée. Pacifica took it looking very puzzled. She opened it and pulled out two airline tickets. Her face dropped. "Where are we going?" she asked in disbelief. Dipper took the tickets and looked at them.

"It says LAX to MAD."

"Where is MAD?" Pacifica asked puzzled and happy all at the same time.

Dipper smiled, "Madrid," he answered.

"Shut up! We're going to Spain!?" Pacifica was ecstatic now. "But I thought you were going to the Arctic Circle?" Pacifica pointed out.

"Oh I'm still going, but I want some alone time with my fiancée before I go. Plus I promised I would make up this to you," he said presenting his scar in reference.

"How did you pay for this?" Pacifica asked still in disbelief.

"I told you no more sleuthing and I meant it," Dipper was eager to tell Pacifica he had cut all ties with his sleuthing days and said, "So I've been calling in all the favors and cutting ties I once had, and it just so happens that one of the favors I was owed was from a man who owned a travel agency. He couldn't buy the plane tickets and pay the fee for the estate that we will be staying at while we're there, so I traded a lot of the favors in for cash to pay for the rest. I'm just glad the American dollar goes far in poorer countries," Pacifica sat on the bed smiling in disbelief. "Cif," Dipper said trying to get her attention. She looked at him. "It's real," he assured her. Pacifica's eyes started to fill with tears. She lunged forward, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You're always so thoughtful. I love you so much Dipper," Pacifica said crying into his neck.

After Dipper's surprise Pacifica had to fill out their applications for the fashion school they wanted to go to early. They enclosed copies of their transcripts and copies of the article from when they won the art show displaying their clothes making skills. Mabel even added that her sewing skills had saved her brother's life and added the doctor's comment on her needle work. Mabel is very proud of that story.

The semester finally ended and all three walked the stage one after another. Pacifica had the name printed on her diploma as ' _Pacifica Northwest Pines_ ' so she could walk after Dipper since his real name was alphabetically after Mabel's. This was the first time Dipper heard the name. ' _Pacifica Pines,_ ' he thought, ' _I like the sound for that,_ ' Dipper stood on the ramp leading off the stage waiting for his fiancée so he could walk back to their seats with her in hand.

With graduation out of the way Dipper took advantage of the girls being out of the apartment. He grabbed a secret document from out of his desk safe and ran out the door. He went back to the jeweler who made Pacifica's engagement ring. "Can you make it?" Dipper asked the man.

"Yes it's unique but not impossible."

"Good. Once you've made it I want you to ship it to this address. Now I'll pay for half now and half upon delivery," Dipper wasn't asking but he knew the man had the right to refuse his offer.

The man thought for a moment. "We've done business in the past so I'll make these accommodations for you."

"Thank you," Dipper said sitting a stack of cash on the counter.

Dipper and Pacifica only had a couple days before their flight to Madrid. Mabel had gone back to Piedmont. The three decided not to renew their lease on the apartment, and Mabel had taken everything, except for all the clothes Pacifica and Dipper were taking to Spain, with her back to their parent's house. Pacifica hired some movers to help knowing she wouldn't be able to fit everything in the truck. Eventually the apartment was empty. Dipper and Pacifica took their luggage and locked the door for the last time behind them. "It feels weird leaving home knowing we're never coming back," Dipper lamented.

"Your mom once told me it's not necessarily where you hang your hat, but who you hand it to when you get home that defines ' _home_ '," Pacifica said wrapping her arm around Dippers as they walked to her car.

"Ahh Madrid, the capital of Spain," Dipper said as they walked out of the airport. He didn't expect it to be quite so big. Dipper hired a driver to take them to the estate in Valencia they were renting for the next two weeks.

"I didn't know you could speak Spanish," Pacifica said once they got seated in the car.

"Grunkle Ford told me it would be a good idea to learn all the base languages. He said 'linguistics is an invaluable tool,' so I taught myself Latin, German, and Mandarin most major languages steam from those so it wasn't hard to learn others those too," Dipper explained.

Pacifica just smiled. "What?" Dipper investigated.

"It's just nice after all these years you can still surprise me," Pacifica expressed.

Dipper put his arm over his fiancée and pulled her closer so he could give her a kiss on the head.

Pacifica and Dipper had arrived at the estate. "I thought we were staying in Madrid?" Pacifica asked a little perplexed.

"I said I wanted you all to myself for two weeks," Dipper retorted.

"Well this is way better anyways," Pacifica said staring out into the Mediterranean from the patio overlooking the beach as the wind blew her dress around her legs.

"I thought you might like it," Dipper said walking up behind her wrapping his arms over her midsection while resting his chin in the crook of Pacifica's neck.

Pacifica turned to kiss him. Their kiss became deep and passionate. One kiss became many. Dippers hand explored the supple curves of his fiancée's body, and before they knew it they were making their way to the bedroom. Pacifica and Dipper re-emerged from the estate in time to watch the sun set and have dinner as they watched to moon rise. Neither could imagine a more perfect setting.

The couple's vacation was going extremely well. They spent a few days at the beach enjoying the Spanish sun and Spanish wine. Pacifica even dragged Dipper to Barcelona to see the Pablo Picasso museum. He may not have cared for art too much, but he loved seeing Pacifica passionate about something so he happily went along. The two found a few places with some street music and danced together under the moonlight on nights they would just wander the town. Pacifica loved dancing with Dipper she always felt so in sync with him while they danced. "I wish the dancing would never end," Pacifica said.

"Our whole life is one big dance and our goal is to stay synchronized," Dipper said looking down at his fiancée.

"You always know what to say to melt my heart and just when to say it," Pacifica said burying her face into his chest.

The twenty two year old couple just stood there holding on to each other never wanting to let go. Dipper and Pacifica's vacation was drawing to a close and they packed and headed back to Madrid to catch their flight back to America.

Back in Piedmont Mabel was excited for her brother's return. "Dipper!" Mabel screamed as Dipper and Pacifica walked through the front door. It was actually the longest she had ever gone without her twin. Mabel jumped onto Dipper giving him a big hug to greet him. She let go and moved on to Pacifica with the same amount of enthusiasm.

"It's so good to see you again," Mrs. Pines expressed to her son. "How was Spain?" She asked.

"Well it's not the experience so much as the people you choose to share it with," he said looking back at Pacifica, "best two weeks of my life," he finished

"Aww that's great sweetheart," Mrs. Pines said.

About that time a man stood up to greet Dipper. "Grunkle Ford! What are you doing here?" Dipper exclaimed.

"Well I've come to take you up to the Arctic Circle we'll just make the last flight up there so go pack for cold weather," Ford told his great nephew.

"One second," Dipper towed Mabel into the kitchen. "Did you get it?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. It's up in my room hidden from you know who, and I paid for it just like you instructed,"

Dipper smiled. "You're the greatest," Dipper said hugging his sister again. Dipper flew upstairs to pack anything that even looked remotely warm along with all the supplies Ford had told him to get. Dipper came back down an hour later.

"You ready son?" His father asked getting ready to drive Ford and his son to the airport.

"Almost," Dipper said.

He walked over to his fiancée. "I will come back I promise," he said giving his crying fiancée a kiss. "Auf Wiedersehen. Which isn't a goodbye," Dipper said to his fiancée as he grabbed his bags and left with his great uncle Ford.

As the door closed all the Pines women were left alone and Pacifica broke down into a deep and heavy sob. Mabel moved her to the couch and held her best friend comforting her. "I already miss him," Pacifica was able to make out in-between sobs. Mabel could only hold her best friend.


	25. Escape the Ordinary

**A/N: This is my attempt at a Lovecraftian chapter. If your a fan of H.P. Lovecraft I hope you enjoy the Lovecraft Easter eggs I sprinkled in. Enjoy.**

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Chapter 25

Escape the Ordinary

Dipper and Ford landed in the Arctic in a survey plane that was built for the extreme climate. It was going to be the last time she left the ground till summer so they brought back more than enough supplies to last them till summer. Ford had only hired a few laborers to excavate the ruins enough to see them in whole. Ford was overly paranoid about someone stealing his find. Dipper wanted to immediately go see the ruins, but Ford wouldn't let him. "Dipper you need to acclimatize first," Ford argued.

"Ah come on Grunkle Ford I've been waiting for this for six years!" Dipper pleaded.

"No, it's too dangerous," At the word Dipper remembered what he had promised Pacifica. ' _I promise I'll never ever skip on any kind of safety precaution because I want to come back to the woman I love,_ ' The words reverberated in his head.

"How long do I have to wait?" Dipper conceded.

Ford was shock it was that easy. "Two weeks, and you'll be used to the temperature and the lack of oxygen up here."

Dipper went to his bunk and dropped his bag.

Two weeks later. Dipper and Ford descended into the dark ruins hanging by a single rope attached to a wench at the top. Ford was regaling Dipper with the stories of every little find. Unfortunately Dipper noticed that aside from the structure and the strange reliefs Ford hadn't actually found anything else of real note. Eventually they made it to the bottom.

"We're here," Ford said ominously.

Dipper turned to see two massive doors they were at least fifty feet tall, yet they had to climb up some scaffolding to get to the base of the doors, which were balanced so perfectly Ford could push one open with one hand. Dipper was amazed. They entered the structure and Dipper was amazed the room was just as big as the doors and looked like it was hundreds and hundreds of feet deep. Dipper looked around and found a bunch of small doors about human height at the top of the room near the ceiling.

"Why are there such normal sized doors in such a massive chamber?" Dipper questioned.

"I've been trying to figure that out myself. They just lead to a network of tunnels that seem to run out of this complex. I haven't been able to follow them to their source yet."

Dipper examined the chamber again. "A room this massive must have been made for equally massive beings. Right?" Dipper asked trying to get a grasp on it all.

"That's what you're here to find out isn't it?" Ford said with a smile. Dipper smiled determined to figure out the secret of this place. "Come on I'll show you the strange reliefs," Ford said walking toward the other side of the chamber. Dipper followed.

They walked through another pair of doors, through a massive antechamber, and into a chamber that seemed twice as large as the entry chamber. There along the walls were strange reliefs. "This is them," Ford said ushering his nephew toward the artwork. As he studied the reliefs he thought to himself. ' _Wish I would have paid more attention to Pacifica's art stuff._ '

After about a month of studying the reliefs trying to make heads or tails of the designs Dipper turned on to his head looking at the reliefs. His skin crawled and his spine tingled it was like everything in him was telling him to run, yet he smiled. "What are you doing?" Ford asked looking at his great nephew who was in an awkward pose.

"They're upside down," Dipper said remembering Mabel turning upside down to inspect a relief back in Gravity Falls their first summer there. Ford looked to the ceiling and noticed the giant stone structures hanging from the ceiling were actually alters if place upside down. Dipper looked around the chamber like he was seeing it for the first time. "This is like an ancient castle and this is like the throne room," Dipper had learned just about every inch of the ruins in his little time there and it all made since. Like why the doors had a step up to them and why the small doors were at the base of the ceiling.

"Dipper you're brilliant!" Ford exclaimed, "I would have never imagined that this entire structure was upside down," he finished.

"It is for us at least," Dipper added.

He looked back at the reliefs, and turned his head back upside down. It was a depiction of some kind of battle. There were bat like creatures clad in some type of armor wielding something that looked like a gun of some sort fighting a horde of creatures that resembled a mass of tentacles. Dipper shivered. He didn't know if it was because he was cold or from what he was looking at. A loud bang was heard from another portion of the ruins. "The excavators!" Ford shouted and took off toward the newest excavation.

Dipper arrived a minute after the old man did. The diggers were yelling about some wall giving way. Dipper scurried up the pile of rubble that had just collapsed. As the dust settled he could see a room full of more reliefs except these weren't depictions of scenes like in the throne room, as they have taken to calling it, these looked like writing. "There is something familiar about these letters," Ford said coming up behind Dipper.

Dipper tilted his head and bent over. "I recognize this language," he said.

"You do?! From where?" Ford pursued.

"There was some book one of our professors had borrowed from some college on the east coast. He was trying to decipher it. He quit a couple weeks after getting it. Rumor has it he went mad trying to read it," Dipper explained.

Dipper spun around looking down the dark corridor that lay on the other side of the newly discovered chamber. "What?" Ford asked.

"I thought I heard squeaking," Dipper said his eyes shifting from one side of the room to another.

He decides to investigate. Dipper walked into the chamber and found a brazier. Ford followed his great nephews lead. Dipper used his pyromancy to light the brazier. "Dipper, did you do that?" Ford asked.

"Yeah I've been practicing. I once used it to scare a bunch of frat boys hitting on Pacifica," Dipper felt his heart sadden just a little at the thought of his fiancée.

"That's fantastic I used to be a pyromancer myself before I had this metal plate installed," Ford said knocking on his skull.

Dipper and Ford's attention both shot down the corridor. "You heard it too right?" Dipper asked Ford looking serious now.

He nodded as his only response. Ford then produced the plasma rifle from his time on the other side of the portal. "Follow me," Ford said. Dipper did so not wanting to be anywhere in between that plasma rifle and its target.

Ford and Dipper moved down the corridor it seemed to go on and on, but suddenly they heard a noise. Not the squeak that they were pursuing more like running water. "There shouldn't be any running water here. It's all frozen." Ford explained.

Dipper thought. "How deep are we?" He asked.

"I'm unsure. We've been walking down for at least an hour. We should be about sea level." Ford explained.

Dipper tried think of an explanation, but couldn't think of any reason there would be liquid water here.

They continued to follow the squeaking. When suddenly the squeaking started becoming louder. Dipper and Ford stopped. Ford raised the weapon. Dipper could hear it charging. The squeaking still approaching, but they couldn't see anything Dipper decided to make a large fire ball in front of them trying to make a little light, but they still couldn't see anything. Dipper felt drained after conjuring a fireball that large and fell to his knees. The source of the noise felt like it would upon them at any moment. ' _Is this it? Is this how I die?_ ' Dipper's thoughts drifted to the woman he loved. Dipper was broken out of his thought when Ford fired the plasma rifle launching a plasmatic mass down the corridor he grabbed Dipper and rolled to the edge of the cave like corridor they were in. The squeaking became frantic and then they felt a breeze and an unholy stench accompanied by the sound of flapping wings. Dipper was petrified all he could think about was the reliefs carved into the stone walls of the giant bat like creatures. Ford laughed "It's just ordinary bats," he determined.

"Ordinary bats? There is nothing up here for them to eat!" Dipper shouted at the old man like he was crazy.

Soon the entire colony of bats had flown by and probably out into the ruins. "Well we ought to be getting back," Ford said.

"No, I'm going to find out where they came from they have to have some kind of food source." Dipper started marching in the direction the bats flew from. Ford decided to sate Dipper's curiosity and followed.

The two walked for another half hour before coming upon a dead end room in the cave. Ford produced a small light source that was extremely dim but Dipper and Ford's eyes had adjusted to the dark so it was like the entire room was illuminated. Dipper saw on the floor of the cavern a giant group of bones far too big to be anything aside from a whale. "What is this?" Dipper asked.

"I don't know," Ford replied.

Dipper moved to inspect the bones he tried lifting one. They were unbelievably light for their size. Ford examined the cavern. "Dipper do you see an exit aside from the way we came?" Ford asked.

Dipper looked around. "No it's a dead end. If those bats came from in here there would be a mountain of guano." Dipper was overcome with fear ' _Those weren't bats that flew by us._ ' He thought as his mind raced with possibilities. Ford grabbed the young man's shoulder

"Dipper, get a hold of yourself!" Ford commanded, "Look we're not in any danger, and look what you've discovered," he said gesturing toward the bones. ' _He's right,_ ' Dipper thought.

"Yeah, look at what I discovered," Dipper said.

"You're going to be famous kid," Ford told him, "Now let's get back to camp and talk about this find."

Dipper and Ford began the long walk back. Once they returned to camp it was late, but he couldn't tell considering Dipper hadn't seen the sun in what felt like months. The excavation crew had placed bets on whether or not they were dead. "Guess what men. You might actually get paid. My great nephew made a huge discovery that is sure to get us funding," Ford explained. The diggers cheered.

"Wait you're actually going to go public with this place?' Dipper asked.

"I am now. This discovery will get you anywhere in the science community Dipper. I won't be around much longer I'm old, and I want you to have all the opportunities that I did. So this is my gift to you."

Dipper was touched by his Grunkle's words. "Thanks great uncle Ford," Dipper said softly.

"Yep got to make sure you can take care of that prissy fiancée of yours," Ford said trying to change the mood.

"Sounds like you've been talking to Grunkle Stan too much," Dipper joked.

As winter continued Ford and Dipper documented everything they could in preparation for the coming media and scientific circus that was going to explode come summer when they announced their findings. Dipper found his thoughts being pulled back to Pacifica more and more. He cursed not being able to talk to her directly. The only communication they had was a satellite connection that made data dumps three times a day two upload cycles and one download cycle. Dipper was lucky if he could get a video uploaded in a week. So he didn't try but once then he switched to text communication only since it was a much smaller format. He told Pacifica about his find and expressed how much he missed her face. He could still see it every time he closed his eyes, but he was scared he would forget. Pacifica sent him a small picture of herself from their time in Spain. Dipper was overjoyed to have it.

Eventually spring came and the winter winds started to die down. Ford and Dipper had recorded and documented all their research and secured their evidence. "We're going to have to hire a paleontologist to look at these bones," Dipper said.

"They won't know what they are," Ford countered.

"I know but if we don't share our evidence then people won't believe it's real. Right now we get to say what it is, and I'm saying it's some sort of giant bat species. They match a fruit bat skeleton perfectly except for the size," Dipper explained.

"I believe you I've seen all the evidence and it makes sense. At some point in Earth's early history there was a species of giant sentient bats," Ford confessed.

"What about those masses of tentacles they were fighting in the reliefs?" Dipper asked.

Ford paused. "I'm not sure about those. There is one being that matches that description but…" Ford stopped.

"But what?" Dipper asked.

"Well it's never been proven it's just a fantasy. It was some sort of ancient entity that coveted all knowledge. Just a myth," Ford dismissed.

"I guess it'll stay that way until we get proof huh?" Dipper said connecting the dots.

"I'm afraid so son. See the world isn't ready for what we know. The world will reject us and may even do so given our evidence, but luckily scientists know we don't know everything. Well except for psychologist who think that what they know is truth." Ford said rolling his eyes at the thought of psychologist.

"A little Socrates huh? I like it. It's a good general rule," Dipper said.

He and Ford shared a smile.


	26. The City of Dreams

Chapter 26

The City of Dreams

Mabel and Pacifica had gotten accepted while Pacifica and Dipper were in Spain. Unfortunately she didn't get time to mourn the vacancy in her heart that Dipper left when he went to the Arctic Circle. They had to leave for New York almost immediately if they were going to find an apartment before classes started. Luckily for them they were able to find a place in the reviving burrow of Harlem. Pacifica and Mabel liked their neighbors. The building they lived in was full of older people with kind souls. One lady had worked at the Apollo Theater doing the books for fifty years, and another man that lived there had played the Apollo back in his day. Pacifica was happy that they got to stay on Manhattan Island. She got to go past Central Park every day except she didn't get to see it since Mabel and herself took the subway everyday to school.

It had been one year since they had started. Mabel made sure everyone knew she had sewn up a man before. She left out the part that it was her brother. She thought it sounded better her way. Pacifica laughed when she told their instructor about it in sewing class first semester. Now she just let her have her fun. Pacifica could see the light at the end of the tunnel. ' _Only one more year and I'll get to see Dipper again. One more year and we'll finally be able to open our own boutique._ ' She told herself. Mabel was enjoying design school she was a creative person after all.

One day Mabel got a project to make an evening dress. She had many ideas most were good, but she needed a model and Pacifica was unfortunately the only one around. Poor Pacifica was turned into a living mannequin. "It'll be a more comfortable and functional dress if I have a live human wearing it," Mabel argued.

"I just don't like being treated like a mannequin," Pacifica protested.

"Hush, mannequins don't complain this much," Mable retorted.

Pacifica growled. In the end Pacifica thought her hard work paid off because Mabel's dress was not only pretty but also functional. Mabel practiced her presentation. "Instead of hiding your phone in your cleavage there is actually a pocket in the bust of the dress," Mabel explained. Pacifica reached into the pocket and pulled out her phone pretending to present it to an imaginary audience. "There is also a pocket for credit cards, IDs, and money," Mabel continued. Pacifica pulled all three items out of one pocket on the other side.

Pacifica said, "Where has this dress been all my life."

"I know right, and you can't even tell there are pockets in there," Mabel enthused.

One day while relaxing in their apartment Pacifica flipped the TV over to a news network. ' _Breaking news_ ' was written on the screen. It looked like the reporter was somewhere where it was cold. She turned it up. ' _We are here in the Arctic Circle where a team of archeologists claim to have made an earth shaking discovery. We now go live to the press conference._ ' "Mabel!" Pacifica yelled. "You better get in here and see this!"

Mabel came out of the shower still wrapped in towels. "What?" she demanded.

"I think it's Dipper and Ford," Pacifica explained.

Mabel became very interested. ' _We seem to have found the remains of an ancient structure buried in the ice caps. It appears to descend roughly five hundred feet into the ice,_ '

"Oh my gosh it's Dipper!" Pacifica shouted.

' _My great uncle Stanford Pines and I have been studying the structure for a year together. We originally thought the building was oriented normally, but eventually found that it was built upside down from our perspective,_ '

"Aww he doesn't look like he's eating properly," Pacifica pouted. Mabel shushed her.

' _During the winter we believe we discovered why. We were excavating when a wall gave way. It led to a cave, and in the cave we found the remains of what appears to be a large thirty foot fruit bat. We brought in a paleontologist and a biologist to confirm our findings and date the specimen. Since there is no bacterium living in this climate naturally there had been practically no decomposition of the bones. Carbon dating confirms the bones are in fact almost three hundred million years old,_ '

' _Mr. Pines. Who do you believe built the structure you mentioned before?'_ a reporter asked Dipper.

' _We believe that the 'bats' were a sentient species, and built the structure themselves. We found many reliefs in the structure that depict a great event in their history along with a written language,_ ' The screen cut back to the reporter covering the event for the news station.

' _This is unprecedented. We will have more in-depth analysis from our experts after this break,'_

"Wow can you believe it? Pacifica you're going to marry a world renowned archeologist!" Mabel exclaimed.

Pacifica smiled. "I always knew he had greatness in him."

The next day in class the discovery was all anyone was talking about. Mabel kept insisting to everyone that it was her twin brother in the press conference. Pacifica even tried claiming him as her fiancée. Nobody believed her until she showed them a picture of them together in Spain in front of the Picasso museum. Pacifica and Mabel became the talk of the school almost instantly.

The excitement of the discovery soon dissolved, and life as normal continued. Pacifica didn't get much sleep at nights. She had gotten used to the warm climate of LA, and the New York falls were brutally cold in comparison. It also didn't help that she missed the warmth of her fiancée on the cold nights. She enjoyed what little they did get to talk. ' _I saw your press conference,_ ' She would email. If she was lucky she would get a response in a day. ' _I was so nervous. I've never talked to a worldwide audience before,_ ' would be his response. She missed him immensely, and couldn't wait to get him back.

Pacifica and Mabel finally graduated and before long it would be time for Dipper to come back. Pacifica was so excited. She couldn't wait to surprise him with her new degree in fashion design. They said their goodbyes to their neighbors in New York and moved back to Piedmont. Once they got settled back in the girls started to plan Dipper's return party.

Dipper's return party was grand but maybe a little too over the top. After two years away the only thing he wanted to do was spend every waking, and sleeping, second with his fiancée. Fortunately Dipper was able to control himself. After all the greetings Mabel and Pacifica surprised Dipper with their fashion design degrees. Dipper was so proud of them for taking the initiative to do this on their own. The rest of the party was left for people to mingle. Dipper was happy to finally be back home.

That night Dipper finally got the alone time with his fiancée he so desperately wanted. Dipper went into Mabel's room and came back with something behind his back. "So how fast can you get the wedding, I know you and Mabel have been planning, ready?" Dipper asked.

Pacifica's face beamed. "Probably a month. Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"Because we've got three of the most important pieces together in this room," Dipper said coyly.

"Oh really and what might those pieces be?" Pacifica asked playing along.

"Well there is a groom, a bride, and this," he said revealing what he had behind his back.

He opened a ring box showing the wedding ring he had made. "Let me see your engagement ring," Pacifica was speechless. She fumbled around trying to get her ring off. Dipper took it and the wedding ring, and slid them together. "See there is you, me, and our love," Dipper said pointing to the stones on the engagement ring. "and you put them in the castle," Dipper said sliding the wedding ring over the stones.

On the wedding ring there was a shape of a castle with three spires. In the window of each spire there was a diamond. One large one in the middle and two smaller diamonds flanking it. The castle design in the silver band rose up enough off the band to slide over the engagement ring. Pacifica was so touched by the amount of thought he had put into the rings all she could do was cry and hug him. The rest of his family had appeared in their door wondering what all the commotion was about. Dipper turned to his sister. "Before Pacifica lost her ability to speak. She said you and her could get the wedding ready in a month?"

"Don't worry I'll have it done," Mabel assured him.

"Where did you want to have it?" He asked Pacifica directly. She had calmed down enough to speak again.

"In the town where we first met," she told him.

Dipper just smiled.


	27. Every Story is Beautiful but Ours is My

**A/N: I'm not a fan of writing weddings. To many details to think about, and then you have to try to make them unique in some way.**

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Chapter 27

Every Story is Beautiful but Ours is My Favorite

It was the day of Dipper and Pacifica's wedding. Dipper was up in the attic room of the Mystery Shack waiting to be told it was time to start. Pacifica and Dipper had decided to just have a best man and a maid of honor. So as Dipper was Soos' best man Soos was his in turn. Dipper sat on the bed that used to be his when he visited Gravity Falls in the summer as a boy. While Soos stood and fidgeted nervously. "Dude aren't you nervous?" Soos asked Dipper.

"You know Soos I thought I would be, but I've been in love with Pacifica for so long that this just feels right. So no I'm not nervous. I'm ready," Dipper explained.

"Wow. I was so nervous before my wedding," Soos told Dipper.

Dipper laughed a little, "I know I was there trying to keep you from hyperventilating. Remember?" Dipper recalled.

"Oh yeah, I guess I'm just so nervous for you that I forgot," Soos admitted. Dipper just shook his head. "Have you thought about kids?" Soos asked. Dipper stiffened being caught off guard by the question.

Dipper thought for a second before saying, "I don't want kids until I can be home more often to support them growing up. You know?"

Soos thought about what his friend had said.

"Yeah I guess with you being a world famous archeologist you'll be gone a lot," Soos determined.

Dipper hung his head and looked at the floor. "I'd rather be with Pacifica," Dipper said wistfully.

"I can't imagine being that far away from Melody for that long, but you enjoy that stuff right?" Soos asked.

"Yeah I love the mystery and the discovery, but I also love Pacifica," Dipper stated.

"Well if you their both apart of who you are then you need both. I'm sure Pacifica understands that. She's one smart cookie," Soos said with a smile.

Dipper remembered Pacifica telling him something like that once. Dipper smiled. "I think you're right Soos," at that moment there was knock at the door. The wedding planner stuck her head in. "It's time to get into position." She informed them.

Pacifica had been in her room at the Mystery Shack. Mabel was running around in a frenzy trying to make sure Pacifica looked perfect. "Mabel relax. " Pacifica told her best friend and soon to be sister-in-law.

"Relax. Relax? How can you be so calm at your own wedding!?" Mabel demanded.

Pacifica smiled at her friend. "Well from the looks of it you're freaking out enough for the both us." Pacifica said trying to get Mabel to calm down. "I've known this day has been coming for… What like six years now. I've planned everything and hired someone to make sure it all went according to plan, and I've got you to support me." Pacifica finished.

Mabel had stopped running around and smiled at her. "I wish I had your confidence." She said.

"Then you wouldn't be you." Pacifica said with a smile.

"So you're not scared something will go wrong?" Mabel asked.

"Oh I'm sure something _will_ , but if I focus on perfection I won't be able to enjoy today." Pacifica explained.

"Hmm. I never thought about it like that."

Pacifica and Mabel turned to the door hearing a knock. The wedding planner poked her head in and said, "The boys are making their way downstairs I'll come get you when they're in position."

Dipper and Soos walked downstairs, and out into the yard to take their positions. Dipper stood on a layered platform they had rented for the wedding. Soos took his place a couple steps closer to the ground. Dipper looked out over the crowd. Almost all of Gravity Falls was there, except for two. He looked at the front row of the bride's side, and there sat two empty chairs. Pacifica hadn't invited her parents directly, she still felt like she was owed an apology, but she made sure that everyone knew that the whole town was invited. So Pacifica had left two chairs reserved for her parents had they decided to show up. Dipper felt a little sick in his stomach thinking about it so he let it go.

Soon the wedding march started playing, and for the first time today Dipper's heart raced as he saw his beautiful bride making her way up the aisle. She wore a gold dress with black ribbons circling the bottom half of the dress, and her bodice was outlined in a nice black lace that complemented the ribbons. Pacifica didn't wear a veil because Dipper said he wanted to see her face the whole time. How could she say no? She wore her hair up in a large bun, the way she knew he liked, adorned with small yellow flowers. In her hands she carried a bouquet of yellow roses. Lastly he noticed Mabel behind her carrying her train. Dipper gave a small chuckle at this. Mabel was dressed in a black form fitting dress that terminated at the knees, and wearing gold heels.

Pacifica was calm too until the moment she started toward the platform to stand with her soon to be husband, but as the music started playing it seemed to set in all of a sudden. Then she saw Dipper. He looked as handsome as he always did when he was dressed up. He was wearing a very nice three piece suit with a gold vest and a gold bow-tie Pacifica had made just for the occasion. She always did like a man who could rock a bow-tie, and Dipper was definitely one. Her heart leaped slightly when she first saw him. Eventually she made it up the platform to take her place beside him.

The ceremony went as planned. When the rings were called for Soos produced the wedding ring Dipper designed to be worn with the engagement ring he also designed for his beloved, and Mabel produced a ring for Pacifica to give to Dipper. Dipper wasn't too sure what they had planned, but he knew the look Mabel had when she had a secret. When it was time for Dipper to place the ring on Pacifica's finger he did so, and Pacifica watched not knowing exactly how it would look on her finger. She looked down fearing the face would dwarf her delicate hands, but to her surprise it ended up complimenting the size of her hand nicely. Then it was Pacifica's turn. She took Dipper's hand and produced a tungsten band with three diamonds and castle spires engraved on it that mimicked the one he had made for Pacifica. He couldn't see it but on the inside it read, ' _Mine P.N.P_ ' just like the engagement band she bought Dipper. Except now she added an extra ' _P_ ' for ' _Pines_ '. They kissed deeply enjoying every second before turning to the crowd who stood and applauded the couple. Just as Pacifica and Dipper started making their way down the steps an albino peacock appeared. Pacifica stopped in her tracks. She loved peacocks, but never before had she seen a white one. Dipper leaned into her ear and whispered, "It was the only thing I could think of to get you on your wedding day," Pacifica hugged her husband and gave him a kiss on the cheek as thanks.

The couple, their friends and family all gathered back at the platform to take pictures. After about thirty minutes worth of pictures Pacifica went and got the white peacock and had a picture with it too. Everyone shared a friendly laugh before going inside for the after party.

Naturally Pacifica wanted to dance a lot at her own wedding so she had a long list of ballroom music made out for Soos to play, and Dipper was only too happy to oblige her. Usually Pacifica would have her last dance with her father before having her first dance with her husband. She was a little upset that her parent's hadn't shown. Even though she hated what they did to her she still loved them, and she knew they loved her in their hearts. So they skipped straight to the bride and grooms first dance as husband and wife. The lights dimmed on the crowd and the couple was illuminated by a gentle spot light, and they danced a slow sweeping Waltz. Dipper and Pacifica became lost in each other's eyes. Pacifica's beautiful sapphire eyes stared into Dipper's deep brown eyes which had a shade of red sort of like mahogany. The music was the only noise heard while the couple danced around the dance floor. The crowd was mesmerized by the beauty of their dance. Unfortunately the song came to end and the couple kissed to complete their dance. The crowd applauded the two on such a beautiful dance, and the next song started. Everyone joined the dance floor, but there always seemed to be plenty of space around the newlywed couple in order for them to dance.

After a few songs food was brought out for everyone to share. The bride and groom took their place at the head of the head table and were served. Pacifica had spared no expense. She had picked out lamb chops and grilled asparagus served on a bed of rice. Dipper wasn't a fan of mutton but he had to admit that this wasn't half bad. After dinner it was time to cut the cake. The cake was brought in carried by two men doing their best not to drop it. It was a white four level cake with gold ribbons out lined in black made out of icing wrapping around the cake much like Pacifica's dress. Dipper was almost sad to ruin the hard work the bakers put into making it, but along with Pacifica he cut the cake. Pacifica was pleased that the cake tasted as good as it looked. She wasn't disappointed having spent the money on it.

In the small hours of the morning the party had ended and the majority of the mess was cleaned up. Dipper and Pacifica finally changed into their sleepwear and lied down in Pacifica's bed. "That was a pretty amazing wedding you two put together." Dipper said to his wife.

"Yeah I can't believe nothing crazy happened. I honestly thought the gnomes would show up and ruin everything. Saying 'I was their queen' or something,"

Dipper and Pacifica both chuckled at the thought. They lie side by side for a few minutes reminiscing on the day. Dipper then got a smile on his face. "So you ready for Paris?" Pacifica's face dropped. She looked at him in shock. ' _Did he just say Paris?_ ' she thought.

"Paris?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know it's not Spain, but I thought you might like it all the same," Dipper said casually.

Pacifica calmed the enthusiasm that had built inside her. She smiled and shook her head, "I really shouldn't be surprised after the surprise trip to Spain a couple years ago," she started. "but how can we afford it?" She asked a little worried.

"Oh well that's the second part of the surprise. You seen I signed a contract with the Archaeological Society of America, and they gave me a pretty sweet signing bonus and are even going to pay for my doctorate so that I can be the project lead of Ford's excavation," Dipper explained. Pacifica now was openly shocked in disbelief. "Look we have enough money for you and Mabel to start that boutique both if you want," Dipper explained to his wife.

"I can't believe this," Pacifica said. "When do you go back to college?" Pacifica asked.

"After we get back from Paris in two weeks I'll have to go back down to LA and stay a while, but most of it will be online stuff. Eventually I'll have to go back to LA to defend my dissertation," Dipper explained the whole ordeal.

Pacifica was proud of her husband, but still had questions. "Where are we even going to live? Where are Mabel and I going to open our shop?" Pacifica groaned in frustration. "This is a lot right now," she complained.

Dipper rolled over onto his side and put his arms around his wife. "Well there is no time better than the present to figure some of it out," He said trying to comfort her. On the inside Dipper had the same worries. "Look. I've kind of grown to like the desert feel of LA, and I know you want the clean air of Gravity Falls. So I propose a compromise," Dipper said trying to sound pompous.

Pacifica looked at him intrigued. "And where might that be?" She asked playing along.

"Arizona, just an hour north of the valley pine trees start popping up so we still have the feeling of Gravity Falls, but I can drive an hour down into Phoenix and get the same dessert feel. Plus there are a lot of rich women in Scottsdale for you to sell your dresses to," Dipper said.

Pacifica thought about it. "You always think of everything… Except for one thing this time."

Dipper looked at his wife confused. "What?" He asked.

"Mabel and I are partners in this fashion deal. Are we going to move her out there too?" Pacifica pointed out. Dipper thought about it for a second.

"Well I suppose she can live with us until she can afford something, but she is definitely not living with us permanently," Dipper replied. Dipper loved his sister, but he needed his own place for him and his wife alone.

"Okay, I'm sure she'll be fine with that. I'll run it by her tomorrow," Pacifica said as another thought popped into her brain."So where do we stay until we get a place in Arizona?" Pacifica asked.

"I already talked to mom and dad they said we were welcome there until we find a place of our own," Dipper explained.

"Huh. I guess that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Pacifica concluded.

The two laid in comfortable silence for about a minute before Dipper's lips morphed into a devious smile. "You know used to the marriage wasn't official until the couple consummate the marriage," Dipper said rather lustfully.

Pacifica gave him an annoyed look. "As much as I want to. Do remember what happened last time we had sex in the shack?" Pacifica pointed out.

"Oh yeah… Well out of respect for Soos and Melody we probably shouldn't," Dipper said with a disappointed look.

Pacifica rolled onto her side to face her husband. "Don't worry once we're in Paris we won't leave the hotel for a week," she said playfully.

Dipper's eyes grew bright. "I can't wait," he said. Pacifica kissed him on the lips and reached over to turn the lamp off.


	28. All Good Things Must Come to an End

Chapter 28

All Good Things Must Come to an End.

Dipper and Pacifica enjoyed their honeymoon in Paris. Pacifica stayed true to her promise about not leaving the hotel for a week, but once they were done celebrating being a married couple Pacifica dragged Dipper all over Pairs. Pacifica wanted to experience everything from fashion to architecture. They even spent two days at the Louvre. Pacifica enjoyed the art while Dipper enjoyed looking at the building remembering it used to be the home for France's ruling family until 1793 when the museum opened. Even if art wasn't exactly Dipper's cup of tea he did enjoy the history of the Louvre itself. Unfortunately Dipper's suspicions about the society of the French were pretty much confirmed. The French people were very rude and proper hygiene was not at the top of their to do list, but as long as Pacifica was happy he would suffer through.

Once the newlyweds got back from their honeymoon Dipper made it his top priority to find them a house in Arizona. Pacifica and he both made trips to the Grand Canyon state to look at houses. Eventually they found one they both liked and started to close on the deal. That's when Pacifica invited Mabel out to look for shop locations in Scottsdale. They found a nice location in Old Town Scottsdale. It was a beautiful location with lots of foot traffic and many other shops.

Dipper and Pacifica eventually bought the house they wanted and Mabel moved in with them until Pacifica and her dress shop started making money. It didn't take long for them to get into the black. Many women quickly learned that their clothes weren't just fashionable but functionally too they even made it into a fashion magazine as the ' _Breakout New Designers in the Grand Canyon State,_ ' Dipper was proud of his sister and wife for their accomplishments. Mabel decided she should live somewhere in the valley of the sun in order to better look after the shop instead of having to make the long commute from her brothers house every day. Finally Dipper and Pacifica had a house to themselves.

Dipper finally got his masters degree, and later his doctorate. Once he had a PhD Ford retired and left the dig in the hands of his capable nephew. Ford moved back to Gravity Falls in order to continue searching for the source of the town weirdness. He built another cabin for his brother Stanley and himself to share. Stan enjoyed not having any responsibilities other than to make sure his brother Stanford took care of himself.

Wendy was eventually named CEO of the logging company. The company reached new heights with her at the reins. Candy went on to be a programmer at a tech company in Redmond, Washington. She always stayed in contact with Grenda and Mabel. Grenda went on to become a coach for Gravity Falls' local high school. She enjoyed inspiring the young girls she was in charge of. Soos and Melody became the Mystery Couple of Gravity Falls running the Mystery Shack. A few years down the road Melody discovered she was pregnant. Soos was scared, but vowed not to follow in his father's footsteps and abandon them. Soon they had their child a young boy they named Diego.

Dipper's role as the project lead of the excavation slowly changed from researcher to manager. He became more involved in managing the grant money he was given to continue the dig. Dipper was finding himself at home less and less so he decided to delegate and hire people to look after certain parts of the excavation. This left him with significantly more time to start a family. After returning home, from spending the fall and winter in the Arctic, Dipper spent every waking moment with his wife who he always missed greatly while in the cold desert of the North. A few months later Pacifica surprised him with the news of her pregnancy. Dipper was overjoyed by this news. "You know my family has a history of having twins." Dipper said thinking of the possibility of twins.

"I'm pretty sure that actually depends on the mother's genetics and no one in my family has ever given birth to twins," Pacifica playfully informed Dipper. She too wouldn't mind having twins.

"Jeez now I know how Caesar felt with that knife in his back," he said jesting with his wife.


	29. Epilogue

Epilogue

Pacifica sat on the back patio of their Arizona home one fall night looking up at a particular star constellation. "Mommy, I miss daddy," said a soft voice.

Pacifica looked down to see her daughter, Angelica, standing beside her lounge chair. Pacifica sat up and held out her arms inviting her daughter to sit in her lap.

"Look up there. Do you see that group of star that looks like a soup ladle?" She asked trying to use things her daughter would recognize.

"Yeah mommy!" Angelica said spiritedly.

"Well daddy once told mommy that anytime I missed him that I should look up in the sky and see the Big Dipper and know that he is here with me." Pacifica told her beloved daughter.

Angelica looked up at the stars and smiled content with the knowledge that her daddy was always with her. "Now let's get you back in bed. Okay?" Pacifica said to her child. As Pacifica was taking her daughter back to bed a cry rang out from the nursery. Pacifica sighed. "Go get in bed sweetie. I'll be in there in a second to tuck you in." Pacifica went to the nursery to tend to her son Nathaniel Tyrone Pines.

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 **A/N: I want to thank everyone who has made it this far. I've already had my fun writing this story, so the last bit of joy I'll get from it is if even one person chuckles, laughs, tears up, cry's, gets a warm fuzzy feeling, or any emotional reaction from reading my story. Please leave a review and tell me what your thoughts are.**


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